Lizzie Bennet: An Unexpected Pregnancy
by RavioliRavioli
Summary: LBD. Lizzie and Darcy *eventually* begin dating and guess who gets knocked up shortly thereafter? Let's see how an unexpected pregnancy shakes up the LBD universe. All LBD charaters make an appearance. Begins after Episode 80 and then deviates from the LBD plot more and more until it's its own world. A mixture of fluff/romance/minor angst/family feels.
1. Lunch Date

**So apparently I began writing this fic after Episode 80 and forgot all about it. I was going through my documents and saw something titled 'LBD Fanfic' and it was this! Lol. I'm super late now! I'm not gonna make it too smutty (maybe just a smidgen), I just think that an unplanned pregnancy in LBD would be the most hilarious/shocking thing ever. Worse than Lydia's tape amiright? :P **

**Also, my writing is not exactly proper. English was never my favorite subject but I like telling stories, so hopefully you like my story much better than my writing. Don't be afraid to correct me! I'm open to criticism and suggestions. I won't be offended! ENJOY!  
**

* * *

"Do you think Bing still cares about Jane?", Lizzie asked Darcy with genuine curiosity. Darcy took off the newsie hat, insinuating that costume theater was over, and told Lizzie, "I think… you should ask him…" while looking deep into her eyes. Lizzie was mesmerized by his penetrating stare until she looked away.

He left shortly afterwards and Lizzie was left to ponder what the hell that last bit was all about. She felt something stir within her that had nothing to do with Bing or Jane. She quickly turned off the camera and decided to put the conversation out of her mind for the time being. It was already weird enough when they were together, she didn't want to think about these strange, mixed feelings while he wasn't around.

* * *

On her commute to her temporary abode (the house that she was sitting for Dr. Gardiner's relative), she thought long and hard about telling Jane that she saw Bing. She really wanted to, but she was afraid that it might hurt her more than help her. _"No," _Lizzie thought,_ "I'm not going to tell her. Bing needs to man up and find out if Jane still has feelings for him. Oh, who am I kidding, of course she does! And they would be so perfect for each other… Maybe not. New Jane might not put up with Bing's inability to make up his own mind… Ugh. Nope. I'm not going to meddle!"_

The next day Lizzie was in her office during lunch, when she heard a knock on the door. "Come in!" , she said as she looked up to find Darcy walking in and shutting the door behind him.

"Good afternoon, Lizzie. How are you doing?", Darcy asked, while gazing at her eyes with that enchanting look of his. Lizzie was at a loss for words. She really wasn't expecting to see him again so soon. Usually it's every couple of days that she runs into him somehow (Gigi and Fitz have let them off the hook a little with their scheming).

She finally responded, "Oh, hey. I'm… uh great. Just eating lunch here. Gotta finish typing up some notes for my report. Did you need something?". He gestured towards the bench in front of her desk, asking for permission to sit. She nodded while cleaning up some her food and waits for him to begin speaking.

"I told Bing that I may not have been fully informed in my suggestion concerning Jane's affections towards him. I told him that he should try to contact her while he is here in L.A. I also acquired her email and sent a very lengthy explanation of my intentions. Bing really hasn't been the same since we left Netherfield and well, I figured I would own up to my mistakes.", said Darcy really fast, all in one breath.

Lizzie stared at him and thought to herself, _"Well guess that cat's outta the bag. I don't have to meddle after all." _Before she can reply to Darcy's confession, Lizzie's phone starts vibrating and her screen lights up to show Jane's picture. "Looks like your work has not gone unnoticed.", she said to Darcy with a slight smirk.

Darcy replied, "I'll leave you to your phone call. Have a nice day, Lizzie.", and exited the room.

_"Was she smiling at me just now? Did she agree that I did the right thing? Hopefully whatever Jane has to say isn't too bad. I kind of got the feeling that Lizzie was starting to despise me less, or at least tolerate my company more or less.",_ Darcy thought to himself on the way back to his office.

* * *

Meanwhile Jane gushes to Lizzie about Bing's phone call in the middle of the night last night (Of course Jane was too polite to wake Lizzie up. She decided to wait for a time when she knew Lizzie was available). Jane tells Lizzie about how Bing cried and how he told her how much he missed her. And how guilty he felt. He asked if he could see her in person and apologize to her. Jane agreed only because she wanted to yell at him (in a Jane Bennet way of course).

He showed up at her apartment and was practically begging at her feet. He looked like a lost puppy that had finally been found when she let him in. They talked for hours like they used to and he looked so genuinely sorry that Jane decided to start over with him. She was in a new city, she had a new job and she had grown since they last saw each other, so they needed to start from scratch.

Jane told Lizzie they spent the night catching up and remembering what they missed about each other. Jane was a very happy camper, to say the least. "But Bing and I have decided to take this very slow. I'm busy with my job and he's going back to med school shortly, so we aren't going to be seeing a lot of each other. What do you think, Lizzie? Is this a good idea?", Jane asked with uncertainty in her voice.

Lizzie answered with a sigh, "Do what makes you happy Jane. I believe Bing's a good guy and you deserve to be happy. If he does that for you then by all means go for it." She could practically hear Jane's smile over the phone.

"Thanks Lizzie... Oh, I almost forgot. I received a very long email from Darcy. He seems really sorry too. If you see him around Lizzie, don't be too hard on him. Things happen for a reason. ", said Jane with forgiveness practically dripping through the phone.

"Yeah, yeah.", said Lizzie. She was glad at least one of the Bennet women were happy now.

She hadn't spoken to Lydia since their fight and forgot to ask Jane about her. Lydia told her not to watch her videos and Lizzie was expertly avoiding Lydia on all social media. She couldn't bear to watch Lydia be so reckless. She really did have the best intentions. This, paired with conflicting feelings about Darcy and graduating from college with no idea what she was going to do afterward, really didn't place her in a happy spot either.

* * *

Lizzie decided to give Darcy a pat on the back. She was happy that Jane was happy again. Not that Bing was the sole source of Jane's joy, but he became a significant portion of it while dating Jane. Darcy mended his mistakes. Proving to Lizzie once again that she may have been wrong about him. _May._ _"It just doesn't add up. He's nice, generous, considerate, everybody here at Pemberley Digital loves him… I don't understand how this can be the same man that insulted me…" _, Lizzie thought to herself while she walked to Darcy's office.

She knocked softly; suddenly intimidated by the big door separating them and by the fact that she was here to pay him a compliment, of all things.

"You may enter.", said Darcy absent-mindedly, while typing away at his computer and taking a sip of the gourmet coffee from his favorite Pemberley Digital mug. He did a double take as Lizzie entered his office. He was definitely not expecting her. He thought she'd be angry with him for not letting her be the one to speak to Bing. He looked at her and absorbed her image for as long as he could before she addressed him.

She looked amazing as always. She was wearing fitted black slacks with a dark blue button-up shirt_. "She looks shorter than she did yesterday…",_ Darcy notices as he looks down to her feet . _"Ahh no heels today."_ She has her hair down today as well. "_How I long to feel those strands between my fingers… Her hair must be as soft as it looks…", _Darcy's thoughts trailed off.

"Hey Darcy, I uh... wanted to say thanks for telling Bing about Jane…" Lizzie said, followed by about 30 seconds of awkward silence. Darcy gazed at her incredulously. He honestly thought she would curse him out or declare her leave of Pemberley or something.

"It was nothing to warrant thanks. It was my duty. I was part of the problem…" Darcy finally responded. Lizzie stepped forward unconsciously as if being pulled in, towards Darcy's eyes.

Darcy's door just burst open, without so much as a courtesy knock, and in entered Gigi. She was all smiles as soon as she saw Lizzie standing there.

"Lizzie! How great that you're here! Will and I had a late lunch date and you should so join us! It'll be fun. We haven't hung out in a while! Come onnn!" , Gigi rambled and grabbed Lizzie's arm. "Come on, Will! I'm starving.", she said exasperatedly at her older brother.

He looked at Lizzie to gauge her reaction to Gigi's impromptu lunch invitation. Lizzie looks at Darcy and shrugs. Not like she had much of a choice anyway.

* * *

They didn't go anywhere too fancy; just a local pizza parlor a few blocks away from Pemberley's main building. Lizzie liked the short walk. She was in between Darcy and Gigi and she was very conscious of the fact Darcy's right hand would sometimes brush against her left hand while walking. They sat in a booth; the girls on one side and Darcy on the other. Gigi sat on the edge, locking Lizzie in, with no escape. She was facing Darcy who was kind of smiling.

_"For someone who once said smiling contorts the face, he does do it quite attractively", _noted Lizzie to herself.

Gigi ordered a large supreme pizza and a big bowl of salad for the three of them. "I already ate, I'm really not that hungry guys.", announced Lizzie after Gigi ordered.

"I saw what you had for lunch and if I had consumed only a cup of coffee and a couple of biscottis for lunch I'd be starving by now.", declared Darcy with a smirk. Lizzie blushed a little at the fact that he noticed and remembered what she had eaten when he went to tell her about Bing.

Gigi said, "That settles it! The pizza here is great. Your mouth will be watering by the time it arrives."

Lizzie didn't know what to say so she just smiles. Gigi remains at the table for a good five minutes debating whether or not they should have gotten thin crust instead of regular, when her phone rang and she said it was "Super important." Both Lizzie and Darcy chuckled, blushed a little, and then locked eyes simultaneously.

Darcy cleared his throat and said, "So… I take it Jane was happy with my actions? I received a short email from her. Bing also called me and sounded very much like the old Bing."

Lizzie said, "Yeah. Thanks again." An awkward break in the conversation and Lizzie felt it was her turn to say something. "So... do you and Gigi come here often?", she asked Darcy, who was staring at her again.

"Every once in a while. It's nice and quiet. The food is good. I don't eat junk food often but when I do I make sure it's top notch.", he said laughing a little at the end.

Lizzie scoffed, "You think pizza is fast food? We're going to wait 20 minutes for a pizza made with fresh ingredients. How in the world is it junk food, Darcy?" They were discussing the definition of junk foods and their effects on the body when Gigi returned. She was not very happy with the topic of conversation so she tried her best to shift it in the right direction.

* * *

"So, Lizzie. Don't you get bored at your place? You're, like, all alone over there! You should definitely come over this weekend and sleep over with me!", Gigi suggested.

"_Oh no. No way. Gigi is definitely up to something…", _Lizzie thought as she tried to find a way to turn Gigi down nicely.

"Not really. I get home pretty tired. And after dinner and Skype-ing everyone and getting ready for bed, I'm pretty beat. I don't have time to be bored.", Lizzie joked.

Gigi pouted. "Well, I get bored! Come on! You can sleep over Saturday night and we can stay up watching period romances and eating chocolate! I'm not plotting anything, I swear. Apart from dinner that night and breakfast and lunch the next day, you probably won't even see William. It'll be a girl's weekend! Pleaseeeeee!", Gigi begged.

_"Hmmm… I do get pretty bored. And I haven't had movie night since before I stopped talking to Lyd-"_, she stopped her train of thought. "Oh, what the heck. As long as you and Fitz are not trying to put Darcy and I in another awkward situation (she shared a knowing look with Darcy as she said that), I'm down. Haven't had a girl's night in forever.", Lizzie smiled as she agreed to stay over Gigi's house.

"We are going to have so much fun! I'll pick out the movies tonight and I'll pick you up on Saturday night for dinner at our house! Anddd we can play tennis on Sunday after breakfast! Oh this is going to be so much fun!", Gigi jumped up and down in her seat. Lizzie and Darcy both rolled their eyes and chuckled. Little did they know, Gigi was plotting- just a little. She couldn't let this golden opportunity pass her by.

* * *

**Thank you for reading. Let me know if you're interested by reviewing! ;)  
**


	2. Sleeping Beauty

**Enjoy! Big thanks to** **FF user SOLYAHU who inspired the majority of this chapter. She's awesome! :D**

* * *

Saturday finally arrived, and Lizzie woke up strangely excited to go spend the weekend with the Darcys. She attributed that feeling to the fact that she hadn't really hung out with anyone since she arrived in San Francisco, and not to the fact that she was really curious about seeing how Darcy behaved in his own environment. _"Does he wear suspenders at home? Or does he have actual comfortable clothes like sweats or shorts? Hmm… guess we'll see… Wait, why do I even care? Ugh. Whatever."_, Lizzie pondered as she stepped into the shower.

The Darcys also awoke feeling different. Gigi was beyond excited and hoped that Lizzie and Darcy would finally fall in love. _"Hopefully with my help, that will happen in no time.",_ she thought to herself as she smiled knowingly.

Darcy on the other hand, was not as excited. Sure, he was glad that Lizzie was coming to visit, but he knew she was only coming because of Gigi, and he was anxious about whether or not she would like their home. _"I shouldn't get too worked up over this. She's not coming to visit me; she's coming to spend time with Gigi. I can't help but imagine a day when she'll show up at our doorstep to come see me…"._ He shook his head to get rid of those thoughts, because he thought they would never come true.

* * *

Gigi needed to put her plans into action. She had someone at Pemberly Digital schedule a spur-of-the-moment meeting and send out an email about it (His name rhymes with Ritz Billiams). Darcy had already eaten, and was reading the news on his iPad, when Gigi arrived in the kitchen. She had put her phone on the dining table while she fixed herself a bowl of cereal and some slices of fruit for breakfast.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her phone light up on the table. It was a notification of an email from Pemberley Digital. "Gigi, you have an email from the company.", Darcy said as he went back to reading his newspaper.

Gigi smiled. "I'm kind of busy over here, William. Can you read it to me?", she said, knowing exactly what the contents of the email would be.

He put down his iPad and swiped the lock screen on Gigi's iPhone. "It says: 'As part of the Graphic Design team working on the new advertisement for one of our investor's projects, you are invited to a get-together at the Pemberley offices this afternoon from 4pm to 7pm. We will be reviewing the final draft of the ad and then refreshments will be served.' Hmm… I don't remember seeing this…", Darcy said.

Gigi quickly answered, "You can't know_ everything_ that's going on, William. Especially in the graphics department. That's definitely far from your division.".

Darcy nodded in agreement and said, "I suppose. But aren't you picking Lizzie up at 6?". Gigi faked a surprised look.

"Oh my gosh, that's right! Will, I don't want to cancel! I was really looking forward to this! Can you pleaseeeeee go pick her up? And then I'll try to weasel out of the meeting early?", Gigi pleaded.

Darcy sighed and shook his head. "No, Gigi. Lizzie was expecting _you_. She's going to think you're trying to throw us together again and she'll reject your next invitation.", Darcy replied.

Gigi frowned. "Fine. I'll call her and ask if she'd mind. If she doesn't care, will you go?", Gigi asked. Darcy nodded yes.

* * *

As Lizzie was eating, her phone buzzed. 'Gigi Darcy', it said. Lizzie picked up excitedly, "Hey, Gigi!".

Gigi greeted Lizzie and proceeded to explain the situation. "Please let William pick you up! I was really looking forward to this! I can't decline because if I don't show up, the employees will think I don't care about the project. I'll be out of there as soon as possible, I promise!", Gigi said over the phone.

Lizzie sighed. She was curious to see Darcy still and it sounded like a legit excuse, so she said yes. Darcy would be at her door at 6pm. Gigi laughed like a maniacal genius in her head. Her goal to get Darcy and Lizzie alone together was well on its way.

* * *

Lizzie's doorbell rang at 6pm on the dot. Punctuality was one of William Darcy's most prominent characteristics. The truth is, he'd actually arrived ten minutes ago but he didn't want to seem too eager and freak her out, so he waited in his car until the time was right. Lizzie ran to open the door. But before she did, she unconsciously smoothed down her hair.

Lizzie's hair was down; pulled back by a gold headband Jane had given her years ago. She had on little pearl earrings and she had even applied a little make up. She was wearing a white v-neck t shirt with a white cardigan sprinkled with little gold, glitter-like dust all over. She had on some black skinny jeans and some cute gold flats (thanks again, Jane).

She opened the door and there was Darcy, without a suit! He wore a white v-neck t-shirt with a light jean jacket over it. He also had on some fitted dark jeans and some cute boat shoes and… a scarf. Not very long, or very colorful but a scarf, nonetheless. _"He looks so good in casual clothes! Very hipster but it fits him…",_ Lizzie noted as soon as she opened the door.

"Hey, Darcy. Come on in.", she said shyly. She cringed internally when she heard how her voice sounded. Her emotions were betraying her. Darcy didn't notice any hint of shyness because he was so caught up in the fact that she was inviting him in.

Part of him thought she'd slam the door in his face or something. "Hello, Lizzie.", he said as he walked in.

He followed her to the living room. "I'll be right back with my overnight bag, just give me a sec.", Lizzie said as she went to her room and got her stuff. She came back outside with her bag and started to walk towards the front door.

"Allow me.", Darcy said as he strode over and relieved her of her duffel bag, whilst opening the door for her.

He didn't think about it twice; it was a part of his manners. He wasn't trying to impress her or anything, but it kind of did. Lizzie was one of the people who believed chivalry was dead and that it should be revived, so that little move had left her with a very good opinion of his behavior. He had always opened doors for her at Netherfield, but she mistook his steely gaze for annoyance rather than admiration.

* * *

The car ride to Darcy's home wasn't all that awkward. Darcy had on a classical station and they both silently enjoyed the musical stylings of Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven. They only ever spoke when Lizzie had complimented his taste and asked what radio station it was.

When they arrived, Darcy was on the lookout for Lizzie's reaction to his home. It was pretty big. Way bigger than Netherfield. It had an outdoor and indoor swimming pool/Jacuzzis, beautiful gardens, and its own tennis court with a running track around it. Oh, and the house was ginormous, of course. Lizzie's eyes dilated and she caught herself just before she let her jaw drop. It was a beautiful home.

"Wow, Darcy! Your place is not even a house; it's more of an estate, really. And it's beautiful!", Lizzie gushed to Darcy as she looked around after getting out of the car.

Darcy had Lizzie's bag in his hand and was walking towards the front door and said, "Thank you. This property was bought by my grandfather and Gigi and I have tried maintaining it as well as he and my father did."

Lizzie was taken aback. She'd never heard any of the Darcys mention their parents. Darcy gulped after mentioning his father. It just came out. He didn't like to think about them too much, but how could he not when the woman he loved was complimenting something his father had worked so very hard on?

"Follow me, Lizzie. I'll show you to your room.", he said quickly regaining his composure.

* * *

He set her bag down on the huge bed. "This is your room. You will stay here tonight and any other night, should you choose to visit again. The bathroom is just across the hall to the left. I'll let you get settled.", he said pleasantly before exiting the room. Lizzie couldn't believe what a great host Darcy was.

Just as Darcy was walking into the kitchen, he heard the front door open. "William? Lizzie? I'm back early!", Gigi shouted as she entered the house. She made her way to the kitchen and Darcy told her where Lizzie was. "Fabulous! We are going to have so much fun tonight!". Lizzie heard Gigi's commotion and quickly put her stuff away so she could go greet her.

Gigi hugged her super hard and then broke the hug to say, "I have an amazing idea! How about after dinner, we take Lizzie wine-tasting, William?".

Since Gigi had recently turned 21, she was always trying to fit in some excuse to drink alcohol. "Would that interest you, Lizzie? We have a fine selection of wine in our cellar. We have every year you can think of.", Darcy asked Lizzie.

"Geez, William, I said let's take Lizzie wine-tasting, not 'let's sound like a 5-star restaurant trying to sell our stock'.", teased Gigi.

Darcy rolled his eyes and Lizzie laughed. "Now, now Gigi. Your brother just trying to be nice. I haven't had wine in a long time, so I gladly accept your invitation, sir.", Lizzie responded.

Darcy smirked at Gigi because Lizzie defended him. Gigi stuck her tongue out at them and sat at the table, ready for dinner. The next phase of Gigi's plan to get Lizzie and Darcy alone together was to begin after dinner.

* * *

They entered the cold, dark cellar and Lizzie gasped. She had never seen so much wine in her life. Now Gigi's comment about having a 5-star restaurant's stock made much more sense. Darcy noticed how shocked Lizzie looked and explained, "Remember I said this property has been in the Darcy family since my grandfather's time? He brought with him plenty of European wines when he moved to the United States. Also, he made a point of collecting the best bottles on his travels around the world. It's become sort of a family tradition, I guess, because Gigi and I do the same thing.".

Lizzie smiled. He looked so proud (and handsome) when he spoke of his family. His eyes sort of lit up and you could see the slight indication of a smile. Lizzie looked away quickly, trying not to look too interested in his face.

He asked, "Have you ever been wine-tasting before, Lizzie?" and she shook her head no. "I can explain the process if you'd like?", he asked, to which she nods yes.

"Seriously, bro? Can't we just start drinking? It's not that hard.", Gigi said impatiently, hoping that Lizzie would come to Darcy's rescue again. And she does.

"Gigi, Darcy is just trying to teach me how to do this. You wouldn't want me to get drunk and pass out, would you? Movie night would be ruined.", Lizzie pointed out.

Darcy cleared his throat and began to explain the wine tasting process. He began with a light wine, something fruity that he thought Lizzie might like.

"Yawn, William. That wine is so boring! There are much stronger flavors over here.", Gigi commented. Lizzie had been in Darcy's corner the whole night because Gigi was acting like a brat and teasing him. She kind of reminded her of Lydia a little, and that fueled Lizzie's quarrelsome nature.

Lizzie tasted the wine he suggested, which she actually really liked, and proceeded to comment, "Wow, this is great, Darcy. Light and sweet. Very tasteful and classic. I commend your choice. Please, continue.".

Gigi shrugged, and poured herself a very full glass of wine. The wine-tasting continued in this way. Gigi would tease Darcy about his choices or about being a know-it-all and Lizzie would defend him. Also, while Darcy and Lizzie were tasting wine together, Gigi was filling up her glasses with the more concentrated varieties and she became drunk really fast. Now they had no choice but to hang out.

She was red in the face and slurring some words before Lizzie and Darcy noticed. They were wrapped up in each other's company and were having a pretty good, non-awkward time. Darcy sighed at Gigi. "Well, Lizzie. I guess our wine-tasting is over. It seems you and I have similar tastes.", he said almost smiling. "Please excuse me while I put my sister to bed. I don't know what's gotten into her today... Would you mind taking the glasses to the kitchen for me?", he said as he picked up a very lethargic Gigi in his arms.

"Sure thing, Darcy.", she said grabbing the wine glasses from the counter and following Darcy up the stairs and enjoying her view on the way up.

* * *

While Darcy was with Gigi, Lizzie was turning over tonight's events in her mind. _"A pleasant car ride, tremendous attentiveness towards his guests, pride in his family, a great taste in wine, a gentle and loving attitude towards a bratty sister, and his relaxed demeanor while at home… is this even the same guy? There's no hint of robot anywhere. He's so kind and not to mention handsome and muscular and… oh who am I kidding? I shot him down, so no way I'd have a chance with him now- if I even liked him that is. Ughh. I don't know what to think."_

When Darcy came into the kitchen, he saw Lizzie firing up the dishwasher and wiping off the kitchen counters. He stared at her for a little while and noted how domestic she looked. He dreamed of an alternate universe where she would do this every night because she would be home. His home would be her home… Darcy cleared his throat.

Lizzie turned around and smiled. "Sorry, I just started cleaning up. It's a habit. I always do it back at home.", Lizzie explained.

Darcy chuckled and said, "No need to apologize. You can do as you please here. You are a guest in our home and 'our casa es su casa'." Lizzie laughed at his bad Spanish pronunciation and he did too.

_"When did Darcy become funny?",_ she thought to herself.

Darcy looked over at the clock on the wall behind Lizzie. "The night is still young, Lizzie. I believe Georgiana promised you would watch movies together?", Darcy mentioned. Lizzie nodded.

"Yeah, we were supposed to watch Season 2 of Downton Abbey together but I guess we'll just do it some other time.", she replied. Darcy was going to just nod, but her attitude towards him tonight had given him a little hope.

"I can watch Downton Abbey with you, if you'd like.", Darcy said quietly. Lizzie burst out laughing.

He didn't know what was so funny. _"Is the thought of us watching television together that ridiculous to her?",_ he thought self-consciously.

Lizzie stopped laughing and smiled at him, saying, "_William Darcy _watching period dramas with me? Oh, this is going to be great."

"_Ahhh so she thinks that I am not well acquainted with this genre. Well, I'd like to see her face when I prove her wrong."_, he thought smirking. "This way to the theater.", he said gesturing towards the hall.

"You guys have a _theater_? Of course you would.", Lizzie sighed and began walking.

* * *

The theater was not like an auditorium in a movie theater. It was much smaller and cozier. There was a huge projector screen on one wall and there were multiple couches on different levels of the room. There were popcorn/cotton candy machines, a cupboard stocked with junk food, a counter with a microwave, and even a fridge against one of the walls, and old movie posters on the other two walls. Lizzie was amazed.

This room felt different from the rest of the house. As if he'd read her mind, Darcy said, "This room has been recently renovated. It used to be a sitting room." Lizzie nodded in acknowledgement of the information. Darcy set up the DVD and headed over to where Lizzie sat down, with the excuse of "This is my favorite seat.", which was a big fat lie. Lizzie had taken off her shoes and had curled her feet up on the comfortable suede loveseat.

The show began and about three episodes in, Lizzie made a comment about the difference between the house servants and the the rich folks that inhabit/visit Downton. Darcy chimed in with his own opinion and Lizzie was shocked to hear him cite the show's characters as points to back up his opinion. Darcy smiled smugly and Lizzie punched him playfully on the arm and said, "_You_ watched Downton Abbey? Has Hell frozen over? How did this happen?".

Darcy laughed out loud, enjoying the way surprise lit up her face. "I am secretly a fan of the period romance genre. I've read many novels and I enjoy watching the BBC adaptations and miniseries.", he confessed.

Lizzie was in awe. If she did not truly find herself growing fond of him before, she couldn't deny that maybe she did like Darcy- just a little! They have so much in common and it's not like she hasn't been extra aware of the fact that Darcy's arm is close so close to hers that she can practically feel the heat emanating from his jean jacket.

She needed a break. She needed to separate herself from his company. She began feeling overwhelmed at the sudden budding of this fondness of Darcy. She got up abruptly from the couch.

Darcy felt startled, as she was just laughing, and now she looked like something was bothering her. "Is everything alright, Lizzie?", he inquired hesitantly, fearing the answer might be negative.

"Yeah, everything's fine. I just need a break—a bathroom break! Ha ha…", she answered nervously.

Darcy felt relieved. "Why don't I heat up some popcorn and get some snacks while you're gone?", he suggested.

"Sure!", Lizzie said as she opened the door and stepped into the hall. She made her way over to the room she thought Darcy said was a bathroom. It was.

She closed the door behind her and then looked in the mirror. "Get it together, Elizabeth! You were just in your feelings because of the show, that's all. And sure, Darcy is turning out to be a great guy and everything but he's probably just being extra nice because you're a guest. Ugh. What the hell?! I can't call Jane or Charlotte because they'll rub it in my face.", Lizzie confessed to her reflection.

She washed her hands, which always seemed to calm her down, and then left the bathroom. On the way over she chanted, _"He's just a friend.",_ over and over again until she returned to the couch.

Darcy offered her some popcorn and some sweets. Lizzie immediately went towards the chocolate and relaxed further. Then, Darcy poured himself a big glass of wine and Lizzie asked for some too- she definitely needed some.

* * *

They forgot entirely about Downton Abbey as they drank. They began talking about the night's events and of Darcy's secret love of period romances. Somehow they got to talking about the accents of the actors on the adaptations, and surprisingly, Darcy can do a posh British English accent very well. Scottish, however, not so much.

Lizzie was cracking up next to him and unconsciously put her hand on his arm. The space between them was virtually nonexistent now. They had grown closer without even noticing. When they ran out of things to say, they turned back to the show. Lizzie didn't stay awake for long, though. She knocked out with her head on Darcy's shoulder and her arms unknowingly wrapped around Darcy's arm. She inhaled his scent and felt more comfortable than she had been in a long time. This felt right to her.

Darcy's thoughts mimicked Lizzie's almost exactly. When she fell asleep wrapped up next to him, he couldn't help but stare at her longingly, wishing that he could have the right to lift her up and put her to bed in _their_ room and kiss her goodnight, only to be awakened by her stirring the next morning. He softly brushed the hair away from her face.

_"She is so beautiful while sleeping; _my_ sleeping beauty_…", he imagined. His shoulder eventually fell asleep, so he pulled the lever on the side of the couch and watched as it turned into a makeshift bed. He laid himself and Lizzie down on the couch and wrapped his arms around her. Darcy fell asleep almost immediately and thought to himself as he drifted off into dreamland, _"I could get used to this…"._

* * *

**Hmm, it seems that Miss Elizabeth is one step closer to falling for Mister Darcy (and one step closer to Lizzie getting preggers amiright? ;). *fistpump***

**Next chapter we end Lizzie's weekend with the Darcy's and get back to Pemberley (around episode 82 I think).**

**Thank you all for continuing to read!  
**

**And please feel free to correct any mistakes! An anon told me my paragraphs were too bulky and I've tried separating the text more. Thank you.**


	3. Sports with the Darcys

**This one is a little long guys. I like to drag things out a little, I guess. Enjoy! Big thanks to FF user SOLYAHU for inspiring part of this chapter!  
**

* * *

When Darcy put Gigi to sleep last night, he hadn't drawn her curtains because he wanted to rejoin Lizzie as quickly as possible. As a result, Gigi was awakened by the sun's rays in the morning. _"My head is killing me! The things I do for love! If William didn't take this chance to hang out with Lizzie last night, my suffering this morning will have been in vain."_, Gigi thought to herself before turning over to look at the clock on her bedside table.

"7:10 am?! Ughhhhh!", she groaned into her pillow.

She tried to go back to sleep but her headache was getting worse. _"I'm probably dehydrated… I'll go down to the kitchen to get a bottle of water and some aspirin."_, she decided, grabbing her phone and getting out of bed slowly. As she walked down the main hall, she passed the hall where Lizzie's guest bedroom was located. Gigi decided to pop her head in, just to see if Lizzie was sleeping well.

She slowly opened Lizzie's door and was surprised when she didn't see a silhouette on the bed. Gigi panicked, _"OMG! Did Lizzie leave last night because I left them alone? Nooo! I've ruined everything!"._ She turned on the light to see if Lizzie really wasn't there_. "Oh no!",_ she thought. She was suddenly very mad at herself and her silly plan, but then, she saw Lizzie's duffel bag on the floor, by the dresser.

_"Hmm… what's this? She wouldn't have left her duffel bag, right? So then where could she possibly be? Her bed doesn't look slept in so I doubt she's in the bathroom or getting a snack… wait a minute!...", _Gigi came to a conclusion as to where Lizzie could be. She gasped and then started laughing.

She ran to Darcy's room, headache forgotten, and then slowly opened the door. She poked her head in through the space between the door, and was confused when she didn't see anyone in Darcy's room. She turned the light on and looked around. _"No sign of Lizzie's things or that the bed has been slept in at all... Where could they be?", _she pondered.

"_For a second there I thought my plan worked and that Lizzie and William finally accepted the fact that they were made for each other…",_ she thought, disappointed, and sighed to herself. She headed down to the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of water, and drank the aspirin. _"So much for our movie night. Guess I'll just go grab the DVD from the theater and put it back on my shelf.",_ Gigi decided as she left the kitchen.

She stopped at the door to the theater and wondered why the dim lights were on. She shrugged and proceeded to open the door. She walked to the projector to get the DVD and froze when she saw the scene before her.

On one of the couches was _Elizabeth Bennet_, fast asleep, wrapped up in _William Darcy's_ arms! It took every single ounce of restraint for Gigi not to squeal loudly and jump around the room, like her body was telling her to. _"I have to get a picture of this!"_, she thought excitedly as she took her phone out of her pajama pants pocket. She almost dropped her phone twice because she was so fidgety. She snapped a picture, hoping the flash wouldn't wake them. It didn't.

She quietly exited the theater; Downton Abbey completely erased from her mind. She ran to her room and began jumping around and dancing and cheering. This was major! After calming down a little, she texted the picture to Fitz with the caption, 'Team FIGI: 1'. She was going to call him at first, but she wanted him to wake up to the surprise.

There was no way Gigi could go back to sleep now, so she decided to go on the internet to pass the time until she could see how the two lovebirds were going to act at breakfast.

* * *

Darcy, a natural early bird, had awoken not long after Gigi came in and found him and Lizzie together. At first, he hadn't realized he was really awake, and was stroking her hair absently while wishing this was possible outside of his dreams. But then, he became aware of his surroundings and recalled what had happened last night.

_"She fell asleep on me while we were watching the show…"_, Darcy remembered. A sudden pang of anxiousness and panic hit him. He didn't want her to think he was taking advantage of her or being a creepy stalker, or anything. But he also couldn't find it in himself to part from her, so he would wait until she woke up first.

Darcy spent almost a half hour absorbing as much as he could of Lizzie's company, before she woke up. Lizzie woke up slowly, nestling further into Darcy for a minute, before she realized where she was and who she was with. Her face was stricken with horror as it hit her that she had just spent the night with William Darcy. She gasped.

Darcy acted as if the noise had caused him to wake up and he yawned and said, "Good morning, Lizzie.", nonchalantly, as if this picture didn't have the word 'WRONG' painted all over it.

Lizzie wiggled away from him and sat up, looking frazzled and embarrassed. She began blushing deeply and Darcy, who had chosen to sit up as well, made a mental note to tease Lizzie more often because he thought she looked cute when embarrassed.

"Good morning, Darcy.", she said shyly. She cleared her throat and said, "I must have fallen asleep last night… sorry about that…". She was beating herself up about this whole situation. _"How the hell did this happen?! He must think horribly of me! Way to go, Elizabeth!". _

Darcy was quite fond of this mortified Lizzie, but decided to try to put her at ease. "No worries. I fell asleep as well. I suppose it was all the wine we consumed." He felt rather bold and added, "I slept quite comfortably, though.", blushing lightly. The last part of his statement made her blush even more.

She laughed nervously and said, "Yeah, that's right! The wine! Ha ha… Well, I'm gonna go now…".

Darcy nodded and said, "Of course… Oh, wait, before you go: There will be breakfast for you when you come down."

Lizzie nodded and got up from the couch, leaving Darcy there smiling stupidly to himself. If anyone had seen his face, they would have thought he'd been possessed by something, for he hasn't smiled like that in a really long time.

* * *

On the way to his bedroom, Darcy decided to check on Gigi. She was pretty trashed last night and he wondered if she was sleeping well. _"I don't know what got into her last night but I hope she's okay. A good hangover would serve her right, though."_, he thought just before opening her bedroom door.

Gigi was fast asleep. Apparently, the headache and Gigi's excitement tired her out and she fell back asleep after a while.

She was smiling in her sleep, too, the reason unbeknownst to him. Darcy sighed and shook his head. He has been checking on Gigi for years and it never ceased to put a smile on his face seeing his baby sister so calm and peaceful. He left her room and went to go brush his teeth and shower. He had to hurry because he wanted to be downstairs before Lizzie; he was going to make her breakfast.

* * *

Lizzie's shower felt like one of the longest showers she'd ever taken. She was mulling over everything Darcy-related. At one point, she stopped shampooing her hair and just stood there, thinking, under the stream of water. Had she seen herself in the mirror, she would've laughed heartily. _"This is becoming a problem"_, she thought to herself worriedly as she stepped out of the bathroom and walked to her room to get dressed.

She came down to the kitchen, smelling bacon as she neared its location. She was surprised to see Darcy in front of the stove- with an apron, nonetheless! She couldn't help but laugh out loud at the scene, causing Darcy to look puzzled.

_"What's so funny?",_ he wondered, looking like a deer in headlights. She stopped laughing long enough to point at his apron, and when he realized why she was laughing, he chuckled and quickly removed it. "Breakfast is ready anyway.", he said confidently, trying not to be embarrassed by the apron.

He gestured toward a seat, which Lizzie sat down in. Then he set down on the table: multiple pieces of whole wheat toast, scrambled egg whites, strips of bacon, grapefruit halves, and two mugs of coffee. Lizzie couldn't help but be impressed, but then she tried to attribute Darcy's lovely display to his being rich. Anything to antagonize him, so she could feel a little better about her budding feelings for him.

* * *

They had a pretty silent breakfast. Lizzie never said "Hey, Darcy, your cooking is the bomb!", but she was making very appreciative noises as she ate. Darcy was as proud as could be. He was happy that Lizzie liked his cooking.

As they were finishing up their food, Gigi bounced into the kitchen, and her face dropped a little when she saw that they were quiet. She assumed they'd be all over each other.

"I saved you a plate over here, Georgiana.", Darcy said to her. _"Uh oh. He almost never calls me by my full name unless it's something serious or I'm in trouble…"_, Gigi thought gloomily as she walked over to her plate.

"Thanks, William. That's so thoughtful of you.", Gigi said sweetly, trying to butter Darcy up so she wouldn't get scolded.

"You're welcome… now, would you care to explain your behavior last night?", he asked with a kind-of serious tone. Gigi sighed and explained that she had drunk a little too much champagne at that company get-together she attended yesterday before Lizzie came over. That, coupled with her light dinner and her craving (and premeditated over-indulgence) of wine, led her to become inebriated.

"I'm sorry guys. I hope I didn't ruin your night, Lizzie. I woke up half-afraid you had left because I abandoned you. Please tell me William wasn't a lame host.", Gigi said apologetically. _"Sorry, not sorry!",_ she thought to herself mischievously. What she had seen earlier that morning proved to her that her plan worked exceedingly well.

"Actually, Gigi, your brother was a great movie-night partner. I had a great time watching Downton with him.", Lizzie said honestly. She looked over to him and he was staring at her, like always, but he looked away when she caught him.

"Did you sleep well?... I hope you were comfortable.", Gigi said knowingly. Darcy almost choked on his coffee and Lizzie mumbled an affirmative. Had either of them looked up at Gigi, they would've seen that she knew.

Darcy cleared his throat and said, "You know what you should do, Gigi? You should take Lizzie on a tour of the house. You don't have anything to do between breakfast and tennis practice. I would accompany you all, but I have some business to attend to.", to which Lizzie added, "Yeah! You owe me some girl time!".

"Gladly, Lizzie. But afterwards don't complain you're too tired to play tennis with me.", Gigi agreed.

Gigi showed Lizzie all the rooms in the house, staying extra time in the important rooms to explain why they're considered important. Gigi really enjoyed spending time with Lizzie. She felt like the older sister Gigi never had. Gigi, very vaguely, told Lizzie a little about how her parents passed. "My mom got really sick when I was young- around 5 years old. I don't remember much, but I do remember her being in her room all day for weeks on end… And my father died about 10 years later. He was so much weaker after my mom died… William remembers much more. Maybe one day he'll tell you.", she said before exiting her parent's bedroom, thus ending the tour. Lizzie felt honored that Gigi trusted her enough to tell her about something that obviously still hurt.

* * *

After a snack, Lizzie and Gigi got ready for tennis. Sunday afternoons were dedicated to tennis practice for Gigi. They used to be spent swimming, but we all know why she doesn't swim anymore.

They walked together to the tennis court that the Darcys had on their property. "Wow, how convenient!", Lizzie exclaimed as they reached the court. She surveyed the area and liked the wide, open space around the tennis court/running track area.

"My brother is going to join us eventually. He always does his 5-mile run around the track while I practice. He used to do the same when I used to swim… but um-yeah. Let's get started, shall we?", Gigi said.

Lizzie saw Gigi's expression as she talked about swimming but decided not to explore the matter further.

They began playing tennis and Gigi let Lizzie serve first. They had just finished up their first round when Gigi yelled across the court, "Wow, Lizzie! You really made me underestimate you! The way you talked about your tennis skills made me think you were a novice. You're actually pretty good!". Just as she said this, Gigi spotted Darcy coming over with a plastic mini-cooler.

Gigi waited until Darcy was close enough to hear and said, "Seriously though Lizzie, you should pick up a tennis racket more often. You're actually pretty good competition compared to my big brother. He sucks at tennis! Right, bro?". And then the teasing began.

"I find squash much easier because you don't have to depend on another player for the ball. It's just your racquet, the ball, and the wall.", Darcy explained, his cheeks reddening under Lizzie's scrutiny. She was looking at him with an arched eyebrow.

_"Hmm, I would've assumed that tennis ran in the family due to the way he spoke about her merits to his aunt."_, she thought. "What's in the cooler, Darce?", she asked.

"I thought we might want refreshments later on.", he replied, while putting the cooler on the side of the court. He got his iPod out of the pocket of his basketball shorts. He put the ear buds in, turned to wave at them, and then ran onto the track. He began his 5-mile run.

When Darcy finished his run, he sat down on some bleachers next to the tennis court and opened up a bottle of water. He sat there watching Gigi and Lizzie play for a few minutes. Well, mostly Lizzie. _"The look in her eyes is so intense when she's focused and she looks so graceful."_, he noticed. Gigi noticed her brother on the side and commenced the next phase of her scheming.

"Let's take a break, Lizzie. We're 15-30 right now and that's only because my hangover headache is returning and the fact that I played with my left hand to give you a break. I'm gonna head back to the house for a couple of aspirins.", said Gigi feigning signs of a headache. She looked apologetically at Lizzie and then at Darcy.

"William, I know you're terrible at tennis but will you _please_ finish up this round with Lizzie? You'll only need to cover for me until I get back. I've already messed up movie night, I don't want to ruin tennis too.", Gigi said sweetly.

Darcy nodded yes and Gigi smiled. "Oh, and William? Give me your t-shirt. It's drenched in sweat. I'll bring you a fresh one... Don't give me that face. It's gross!", Gigi asked him. He sighed and took off his sweaty t-shirt.

Darcy was facing away from Lizzie when he removed his shirt, so he didn't see the slight drop in Lizzie's jaw. Gigi, however, did and pretended not to notice.

Lizzie saw Darcy's sculpted back muscles and was mesmerized. Then, Darcy turned around. She was freaking out internally. She had always admired Darcy's frame but she never thought she'd see the real deal. He was perfect- well, her kind of perfect anyway. She liked a tall, lean figure; toned but not overly muscular; hard and soft in all the right places. Her libido had been mostly dormant for the past of couple years but now, thanks to Darcy, it was up and kicking. _"Pull it together, Elizabeth.",_ she reprimanded herself.

Gigi smiled to herself at Lizzie's facial expression while she handed her racquet to Darcy. _"Thank goodness my brother works out."_, Gigi thought as she left with Darcy's shirt in hand.

* * *

So there they were, alone yet again. Darcy felt kind of awkward without a shirt and Lizzie kept trying not to stare. Darcy cleared his throat and broke the silence. "I guess we should start playing. You can serve. I'm telling you now I'm not that great at this sport, so go easy on me, Lizzie.", he said smiling nervously.

Lizzie nodded but did not keep her word. She was kicking Darcy's butt and making him dance around his side of the court. He was usually a very competitive person but he didn't mind. He was just happy to be spending time with her. Not to mention that he enjoyed the way Lizzie looked when she played. Her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, some hair loose around her face. She was all shiny and flushed, which he thought was extremely sexy. His train of thought betrayed him, though, and he missed the ball, causing Lizzie to win the match.

She jumped up and down in celebration of her victory, and Darcy's eyes followed every jump. His eyes shifted downward from her big smile, to her breasts bouncing underneath her tennis polo shirt and down to her shapely legs underneath the tight tennis skirt. _"Stop it, lest she think you a pervert. Although it's not your fault she's so damn attractive..."_, Darcy thought to himself as lust grew inside of him. He tore his eyes away from her figure and set out to get himself a bottle of water. Maybe the cold drink would calm him down.

Darcy was a polite person, so he offered Lizzie a bottle of water before taking one from himself. She accepted it and began drinking. She was surprised at how thirsty she'd become. Darcy was frustrated, so when he tried opening his bottle of water, he opened it all wrong and splashed water all over his chest. Lizzie spit out her drink in laughter at Darcy. He reddened out of embarrassment and laughed at himself as well. It was then Lizzie noticed how hot Darcy looked. She'd already ogled at his physique, but now here was, all sweaty and colored and water dripping all over his chest. She almost wanted to wipe the water off for him. _Almost. _

Darcy sighed and drank what was left of the water in the bottle. Then, he proposed a challenge. "Since we played tennis and you beat me, let's see how you like running. It seems as if Gigi has forgotten about us, so we should race back to the house.", Darcy said playfully. Lizzie smirked and then agreed. She knew Darcy would win, but hey- she'd get a nice view of his ass the whole time.

"On your mark, get set, ready... GO!", Lizzie yelled and they dashed for the house. Darcy, however, had the same idea as Lizzie, and let her get ahead of him a couple of times during the race, for the 'view'. He ended up winning, though.

They were outside the side entrance to the house, both catching their breaths and trying to furtively check each other out. They locked eyes a couple times but attributed their blushes to the exercise. Lizzie broke the silence by jokingly saying, "Congratulations on your victory, my good sir.", and curtseying.

Darcy chuckled and responded, "Thank you, m'lady. As victor, my reward shall be your acceptance of a parting gift Gigi and I have for you." Lizzie wasn't expecting that but agreed to it.

"Sure, Darcy. Thanks... I'm gonna go clean up now.", she said smiling and waving before she headed inside.

Darcy swooned. The fact that Lizzie was now willingly smiling at him instead of giving him the death stare made his heart skip a beat.

* * *

Gigi had apparently fallen ill during the time she was gone and failed to alert both Lizzie and Darcy. So, after checking up on Gigi, Darcy let Lizzie know that they were to dine alone. It was silent, but not the awkward kind. When they spoke, it was only to tease one another about something from this weekend and they seemed to take more pleasure in the bit of conversation, than the in food itself.

The time for Lizzie's departure finally rolled around and Gigi still hadn't come down. Lizzie decided to check on Gigi to make everything was alright. Gigi really appreciated Lizzie's genuine concern and almost maternal tone when she came to check on her, and decided she would reveal to Lizzie what Wickham had done to her. _"I'll do it tomorrow at Pemberly."_, she decided.

Lizzie had to ask Darcy for a ride home and he obliged. The ride mimicked the pleasantry of their dinner and Lizzie arrived very content at her door. Darcy dropped her bag off in the living room and said, "Ah, before I forget. Your gift.". He ran to his car and came back with a gift basket filled with various wines and cheeses. She recognized some of the wines from their wine-tasting the night before. "How thoughtful! This is great. Thank you guys!", Lizzie exclaimed thankfully.

Darcy smiled and said, "You're very welcome... We're glad you enjoyed your stay at our home and that you return swiftly. Good night, Lizzie."

It felt as if goodbye wasn't sufficient enough. It felt as if they should exchange more words or a hug, even. But neither wanted to trespass onto the other's personal space, for fear of seeming too eager. So, Darcy just waved and headed out. Lizzie watched him get into his car and leave and couldn't help but feel a little sadness to see him go. She inspected her gift basket and saw a handwritten note. It read:

_We hope you enjoyed your time at the Darcy home and that you come back soon. You are welcome at our home whenever. We hope you sleep comfortably tonight, as we understand the sleeping arrangements during your stay were different from the ones you are accustomed to. _

_ Thank you for your lovely visit, the Darcys._

Lizzie couldn't help but laugh at the inside joke. Clearly, Gigi had no idea this letter existed and she doubted as to whether Gigi knew about the present she's supposedly half-responsible for.

Lizzie sighed and replayed the weekend in her head all night, until she finally fell asleep; her only consolation being that she might see Darcy tomorrow. She was no longer trying to find fault in his character; not even to suppress that faint feeling of longing when she thought about what a great time she'd had with him.

* * *

**Hope you all enjoyed this. Next chapter will take place after Ep. 82, after Gigi tells Lizzie about Wickham. One chapter closer to her getting preggers! *fist pump***

***Cyberhug to you and everyone who took the time to read this whole thing lol***

**Review! It boosts my morale and makes me really happy. :D**


	4. The Hills Truly Aren't Forgiving

**You see in the description where it says this story will deviate from the LBD episodes? Yeah, it starts here lol. Lizzie's outing with the Darcys (that happens off camera between episodes 82 and 83) doesn't happen on the weekend here. It happens in the middle of the week. Meh. Lol. So basically, don't count on the dates being accurate (you guys probably weren't paying attention to that anyway :P).**

* * *

Gigi woke up determined today. She was ready to share with the world what George Wickham had done to her. _"I'll go to Lizzie's office today before lunch when I know she'll be recording. I need to get this off my chest and reveal to everyone what that horrible man did to me… It'll be therapeutic. I should have done this a long time ago…", _Gigi thought to herself as she got ready for the day.

When Gigi got to the kitchen, she found Darcy serving himself breakfast whilst smiling. He seemed to be in his own little world. _"He's been smiling since he got home last night… Now that I think about it, I haven't seen William smile so much in a really long time…", _Gigi noticed.

Gigi wanted to keep up these good vibes, so she decided to ask Lizzie out to see the city with them on Wednesday . When she got to Pemberley she was going to walk into Lizzie's office before work began and personally invite her out with them. She couldn't say no to her face, right?

* * *

Lizzie woke up excited to go to work and not just because of the chance that she might see Darcy. Working at Pemberley Digital was a delight and she was always learning something new. She was just about to film a video about how Pemberley has a whole floor dedicated to wardrobe and costume, when Gigi interrupted her.

_"I just saw Gigi a couple hours ago and agreed to go out with them. What could it be now?",_ Lizzie thought to herself before Gigi sat down.

When Gigi finished saying everything she had to say, Lizzie felt proud of Gigi for sharing her story. But she was also freaking out because she thought Darcy would be mad at her for posting such a personal video. _"Guess I'll find out on Wednesday when we go out."_, Lizzie thought to herself worriedly.

* * *

Lizzie hadn't run into Darcy at Pemberley like she hoped she would after he left on Sunday. It was partly her fault for kind of avoiding him due to nervousness over Gigi's video; and then partly Darcy's fault because he had a lot of work to do before the day off on Wednesday, so he didn't have time to see Lizzie. Darcy liked to reward his employees when he saw good results, and this quarter's profit increased from the last. So he gave everyone a paid day off as an incentive to keep up the good work.

Wednesday came, and Lizzie found herself all knotted up inside. She got ready and was consciously aware of how she looked. She was no fool, and admitted to herself she cared about what Darcy thought, so she wanted to look good. She decided on some dark wash skinny jeans, a plain shirt underneath her favorite tweed jacket, and her most comfortable boots. Not to mention a scarf. She laughed to herself and thought, _"This is kind of like the scarf Darcy had on when he picked me up on Saturday.". _

She finished blow drying her hair and prayed it wouldn't frizz up, just as Gigi texted her that they were outside. She looked at her watch: 11 am. "Damn, the Darcys _are_ punctual.", she said to herself as she grabbed her sunglasses and stuck them in her purse.

* * *

Their trip was so much fun; Lizzie had a great time. At first, it felt a little awkward and overly formal between Lizzie and Darcy but eventually, they loosened up and it was just like when they were hanging out last weekend. Gigi was snapping pictures for 'the memories' but it was really to update Fitz and the Dizzie fans. Gigi wandered off often, leaving Darcy to explain to Lizzie where they were.

At one point, Gigi had abandoned them and Darcy and Lizzie were standing, alone, at the bottom of a steep hill. Gigi had raced over the hill to give them some alone time, of course. She knew Darcy wouldn't be rude and leave Lizzie behind, so they walked over the hill together.

Lizzie and Darcy began arguing about something trivial, like what degree angle they thought the hill had, when Lizzie almost tripped. Darcy caught her, though, and Lizzie held on to him as if her life depended on it. It was the closest they'd ever gotten to a hug. They kind of stayed like that for a little while, each extremely aware of the fact that they were touching each other, until Darcy broke the moment.

He knew she was embarrassed because she began blushing instantly, but he couldn't resist saying, "I guess the hills truly aren't forgiving after all.", as he set her up straight. Lizzie reddened further, punched him on the arm, and walked away. Darcy laughed aloud and then caught up with her, ready to apologize, when he noticed she was holding back a laugh of her own.

"Good one.", was all she said in reply but then she giggled, and her laughter made Darcy feel all bubbly inside.

* * *

They stopped at a random little bistro with tables out front and decided it was time for a late lunch. Lizzie was famished because she hadn't eaten that morning due to her 'poor nerves' she inherited from her mother. They sat down and after a waiter took their orders, Gigi claimed she had some phone calls to return and left them, yet again.

Lizzie shook her head and said, "Your sister isn't fooling anyone. She's left us alone practically the whole trip."

Darcy snickered in agreement. After a beat, he added, "You know, I've been meaning to speak with you about Gigi… I saw your latest video…".

Lizzie's eyebrows shot up and her face paled. "You did?", she asked, her voice sounding sort of mousy.

He nodded his head yes and continued, "I'm proud of her for talking about it. That was a rough time in our lives and I'm glad she's finally getting over that _bastard_-please excuse my language. I wanted to thank you for letting her tell you her story, Lizzie. In my letter I didn't reveal much because I wanted to protect her, but she seems to have opened up to you and that- well, it means a lot to me."

Lizzie was relieved that he wasn't angry with her, and replied, "It was no problem. I'm proud of her, too. It must have been really hard for her to talk about that… Actually, I was afraid you were going to kill me for posting it.".

In response, Darcy laughed as if it was the most preposterous thing in the world, which it was. "That's impossible, Lizzie. I would never dream of hurting you.", he confessed, surprising himself and Lizzie. Lizzie felt flustered all of a sudden and didn't know how to reply.

_"Does he mean that like I think he means that, or am I reading too much into this?"_, she contemplated, but her thoughts were interrupted by Gigi, as she returned to the table.

Gigi told Lizzie, "Guess who's taking you out to lunch tomorrow? Fitz! My, my Lizzie you are very busy girl!".

Lizzie chuckled and said, "Apparently."

Their food was served quickly and they ate hungrily. Lizzie tried to pay for her food but Darcy wouldn't hear of it.

When they were done sight-seeing, they went to a flea market of sorts that was nearby. Lizzie was buying all sorts of little knick-knacks and Darcy really wanted to just take out his credit card and pay for her, but he knew she would get mad. _"If she were mine, she'd have anything and everything that pleased her…",_ he thought while watching her inspect a vintage-looking teacup that she thought would be perfect for Jane.

Since she wouldn't let him pay, he'd insisted that she at least let him carry her bags, which she begrudgingly accepted. Anybody who didn't know them would've thought that they were together. The way he stood beside her, holding her bags and commenting on things she picked up was very couple-like.

* * *

When it was time to drop Lizzie off, both Gigi and Darcy got out of the car and walked her to her door. Lizzie unlocked the door and let Darcy, who was carrying her bags, enter the house to put them down. While he was inside, Gigi apologized to Lizzie about abandoning her again and promised a girl's night tomorrow night.

"No way, Gigi. Your idea of a girl's night last time was not exactly a girl's night.", Lizzie replied warily.

"No, but this time it's forreal! Look, I know a karaoke place that's super fun! It'll be just me and you- no William. Not like he'd ever want to go, anyway. Come onnnn. I'm sure you were bored out of your mind today seeing all the historical landmarks- that was William's idea, by the way. I've been such a terrible hostess and I know I can make it up to you with Karaoke! ", Gigi pleaded.

Lizzie sighed and said, "Alright, I'll go. But I get to pick your first song! And as for today, I wasn't bored at all. I had a great time, actually."

Darcy overheard the last part of the conversation and he felt a burst of joy within him. Lizzie had a great time today, 70% of which she spent with him alone. _"So she likes my company… Maybe she would agree to go out without Gigi as a pretext…"_, he considered.

The Darcys said their goodbyes but this time, Darcy and Lizzie ended up awkwardly shaking hands. _"It's a step up from just waving, right?"_, both thought as they went their separate ways.

* * *

Thursday's lunch with Fitz was more like an interrogation. He asked her for everything that went down on her trip with the Darcys, as if he hadn't already spoken to Gigi. He was also trying to get Lizzie to reveal how she felt about Darcy, but Lizzie cleverly evaded his questions.

That night, was Karaoke time with Gigi. They had lots of fun and Lizzie accidentally let it slip to Gigi that she may like her brother.

Lizzie was perusing the drinks menu, when she recognized one of the wines from the gift basket that the Darcys gave her. "Hey, Gigi! This is one of the wines that you guys gave me! I've opened up the bottle and it is very tasty indeed. Can we order some of that?", Lizzie asked.

Gigi was confused, and then it hit her. "Ohhhh you mean the gift basket William gave you with the wine and cheese? Yeah, that was all him. He made a special order for them while I was showing you the house. They must have delivered them while we were playing our first round of tennis. He told me about it when he got home after dropping you off. ", she explained.

_"Aha! So it _was_ Darcy's gift. I knew it! How sweet of him… but then why would he say it was from the both of them_?", she wondered, and Gigi answered her question.

"He said it was from both of us, huh? My brother is too modest.", Gigi said absent-mindedly.

Lizzie smiled. She had suspicions that the basket was from him only but now that she was certain, she felt even more appreciative. The fact that he would give her such a thoughtful present got her thinking about him again.

The wine loosened Lizzie up, and she and Gigi sang embarrassingly to every song. After they were done singing for the night, Gigi replied to Darcy's text and said they were leaving soon.

"Sorry, Lizzie. I was texting my brother back telling him we're leaving. He was afraid I'd drunk too much and couldn't drive… what were you saying?", Gigi said as they headed toward the parking lot.

Lizzie answered, "Nevermind. It was nothing… You're brother is really good to you, huh? Checking up on you like that and making sure you're safe. That's so considerate… I want something like that one day."

"My brother is very considerate and caring. He's just a little rough on the outside.", Gigi replied, liking where this conversation was headed.

Lizzie laughed and said, "He's not so rough on the outside. He's rather pleasing to look if you ask me… I think I may like him."

Gigi's jaw dropped and she turned to look at Lizzie. Just then, Lizzie hiccupped and almost tripped. She was tipsy. But Gigi wasn't and she heard Lizzie loud and clear.

* * *

Friday morning Lizzie was beating herself for drinking so much. She also vaguely remembers telling Gigi that she liked her brother. Lizzie felt mortified and thought, _"Oh no! What if she told him?! It's going to be so awkward at work now, just when we were getting along so well..."_. She covered her face with her pillow and yelled, "UGH!" into it. _"Maybe she didn't tell him. Maybe Gigi respected the girl code... I hope so because I'm planning on interviewing him for my thesis today..."_, she reasoned.

Gigi stopped by Lizzie's office shortly after the work day had begun, to see how she was doing. Lizzie had been lucky and avoided a hangover. She was trying to figure out if Gigi had told Darcy what she said last night, but didn't want to ask about it directly.

"Is your brother here today?", she asked Gigi.

"Yup. He's here all day. Pretty busy day for him, too. Why do you ask?", Gigi said sweetly. She knew what Lizzie wanted to know but she was enjoying herself way too much.

Lizzie replied, "Oh, okay. I just need to interview him for my project… Can you let him know if you see him around?".

Gigi smiled and said "Of course.", and walked out.

She went directly to Darcy's office and announced, "Will. Lizzie wants you. Whenever you get a chance, head over to her office so she can interview you for her independent study." Her choice of words was meticulously thought out.

* * *

Hours later, when Darcy finally decided to take his lunch break, he showed up to Lizzie's office for his interview.

"Gigi said you wanted me…", he said and Lizzie freaked out for a second before he elaborated.

_"She told him!"_, she thought but was quickly relieved that Gigi kept her little secret.

She went to close the door and it was without thinking that she put her hand on Darcy's shoulder. She was just making her way to the door and back, and needed a little balance on the way. They both felt a little shock but neither party said a word about it.

When she turned off the camera, she couldn't stop laughing. "_Darcy is just full of surprises. He's kind, considerate, handsome, and every once in a while I see that he's funny… I was _so_ wrong about him."_, she thought as she looked at him with the afro wig.

Darcy would endure the weird looks he had received in the hall any day, if it meant he could make Lizzie laugh like that. There she was wiping tears from the sides of her eyes, looking so amused, and he was the cause of it. He took pride in that.

All of a sudden, Lizzie's stomach growled really loudly and her face grew pink out of embarrassment. He got up and put his arm out. "Since neither of us has eaten lunch yet, would you like to accompany me to the cafeteria?", he asked. He felt suddenly audacious and hoped she would agree.

Lizzie smiled and nodded yes. "Sure thing, my good sir.", she answered as she took his hand and helped herself up.

* * *

They ate lunch at Pemberley's cafeteria, which serves amazing food, by the way. It was mostly empty because they were eating kind of late. Darcy left the wig on, just to make Lizzie laugh, and their lunch ended up lasting over an hour. And if he wasn't mistaken, his meager attempts at flirting were working.

He knew he was probably driving his poor secretary crazy because he was late for his meeting, but he didn't care. He dropped Lizzie off at her office and after closing the door behind him, decided he would ask her out on a date. He received a reminder in the mail the other day, that the theater he and Gigi have year-round box seats to is hosting a performance of one of Shakespeare's plays. If he recalled correctly from their Netherfield arguments, Lizzie was a fan of Shakespeare.

"I'll ask her on Monday…", he resolved on the way to his meeting, giving his seriously pissed off secretary a penitent look as he passed her desk.

* * *

**That wraps up this chapter. Next chapter brings Episode 84, where Darcy asks Lizzie on a date and heads up: she says yes!**

**What will happen when Lizzie's phone doesn't interrupt Darcy's question? Hmmmm. I'm so excited for the next chapter you guys! See you next week ;)**

**Also check out FF user SOLYAHU 's new fic about Darcy and Wickham's relationship if you're interested. It's titled Archenemies. It's in my favorites.  
**


	5. Conception

**Hey guys! So I was so excited to write this chapter and I had fun doing it. Hopefully you all enjoy it as much as I did. Also, warning: Lizzie and Darcy have sex here, so if you'd rather not read that bit, I include a little 'SKIP HERE' before it goes down and a 'CONTINUE' in bold afterwards. I tried to keep it classy (as classy as a sex scene can be) and not smutty.**

**Also, I've changed the rating from T to M just because of this chapter.**

* * *

After lunch with Darcy, Lizzie emailed Charlotte the footage so she could edit it and promised to Skype with her later on that night. She was extremely giddy for the rest of the day and Charlotte noticed it as soon as she saw Lizzie's face on the computer screen.

"Why are_ you_ so happy?", Charlotte asked, smiling smugly. She had already watched what Lizzie filmed today and knew exactly why her best friend was all cheerful.

Lizzie rolled her eyes and replied, "I had a great day today; a great week actually. Is it a crime to smile?"

"Mmhmm… this happiness wouldn't happen to have anything to do with a certain CEO, now would it?", Charlotte teased.

"Maybe.", Lizzie said reluctantly. She knew Charlotte was going to rub it in her face, but she needed to talk to _somebody_ about him. She felt as if she was going to burst. She hasn't had a crush in what feels like forever.

Charlotte laughed and said, "Yup. I knew it. The line between love and hate is a thin one and you, my friend, have crossed it."

Lizzie sighed, annoyed at the word 'love' and corrected her bestie. "I have come to terms with the fact that I LIKE Darcy. I don't LOVE him. Big difference. He's just... like a completely different guy now. Besides, how can I _love_ somebody I don't know?"

Charlotte chuckled and retorted, "Why don't you ask the man in question. He confessed his love to you not too long ago."

Lizzie groaned. This is why she didn't want to tell Charlotte: the endless teasing that would ensue. "Whatever Char. Just keep your mouth zipped. Nobody else knows… except for maybe Gigi."

"And the viewers. They can totally feel the chemistry between you two. And Jane. Jane knows you've never been indifferent to him. She probably hasn't been keeping up with your videos, but she'll find out soon enough..."

Lizzie groaned again. Charlotte could be so annoying sometimes.

"Lizzie and Darcy sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-", was all Charlotte got to say before Lizzie hung up on her.

Charlotte texted Lizzie a winky face, which she chose to ignore.

Lizzie had to Sykpe everyone now instead of just a regular phone call because her phone started acting up. It would shut off randomly; even in the middle of a call. Also, the touch-screen keyboard wasn't working properly and sometimes, the letter she tapped was not the letter that appeared. It was a hot mess. Her phone was pretty old though, and since tomorrow was Saturday, she was going to go to the phone store and see what could be done about it.

* * *

Lizzie woke up at around 10am on Saturday morning. She had slept in because she didn't really have any plans today, except for going to see about her phone. She was making some instant oatmeal in the microwave and pouring a glass of orange juice, when the phone pinged. She received a text from Charlotte that said:

_Check out the new video; it's up! _

_xoxo Char_

Lizzie ran into her bedroom and grabbed her laptop. She ran back to the kitchen and got there just in time to stop the microwave from beeping.

She went on YouTube and clicked on Episode 83. She was dying of laughter all over again at the end. Lizzie remembered how funny Darcy had been after she stopped filming, and she sighed as she thought about him and wondered what she should do.

_"I'm not sure how he feels about me. Maybe he's just being nice, ya know?... I shot him down pretty hard, so there's no way he could still have feelings for me, right_?", she thought to herself.

She went back and watched the video where she rejected Darcy and she winced at how cruel she had been. And she was overwhelmed by how drastic a change she had observed in Darcy.

The logical thing would be to just ask him how he feels. But that is easier said than done when you have publicly humiliated a man and now have feelings for said man.

Lizzie was usually a go-getter, even in love. Most of her previous boyfriends, she had asked them out. But this was so much more intimidating and she didn't want to face rejection.

* * *

Darcy had to work late last night but he did so without complaint. He was thinking about Lizzie half the time and he was happy. Just plain **happy**. Nothing could have ruined his mood. Not the last-minute documents he had to review; not the disapproving look his secretary gave him as she announced she was going home for the day; not the jerk that cut him off on the way home.

_"If I feel like this now, I can't even begin to fathom what I'll feel like if she agrees to go to the theater with me!"_, he thought as he made his way to his room to get ready for bed. It was kind of pathetic, really, he acknowledged, shaking his head.

Gigi intercepted him en route, however. "So how'd the interview go?", she asked curiously. Although, with the goofy look on his face she could assume it went rather well.

"Just fine, Gigi. She recorded it, actually. So you'll see it tomorrow. Now, good night. I'm tired.", Darcy replied quickly, trying to avoid an interrogation.

The next morning, Darcy walked in from his morning run and was almost deafened by Gigi's shrieks. "OH MY GOD, WILLIAM!", was all she yelled. He didn't know where in the house she was, but he could hear her excitement.

A few minutes later, Fitz texted him:

_DARCY! My man! I see you upped your game **BIG TIME**. The ladies love a funny guy. Not that I would know, but still! ;)_

Darcy chuckled, but his confidence was boosted a little higher thanks to Fitz's compliment.

* * *

Lizzie arrived home very pleased about her phone situation. No, she hadn't gotten her phone fixed, but she was eligible to receive a brand new phone for free! She had made it through her two-year contract with the phone company and as an incentive to stay with them, they give out new phones. It may not be an iPhone 5, but it's better than nothing, right?

She looked at her phone and saw she had a missed call from home. _"How the hell did I get a missed call? The phone isn't even on silent! It should have rung. Ugh. I cannot wait for Monday.", _she thought as she made her way to her laptop.

_"Hopefully the house computer is online so I can Skype them… yes!_", she cheered mentally as she waited for someone to answer. It was Mr. Bennet's face that popped up on the screen.

"Ellie! We haven't heard from you in ages! I was beginning to think you'd abandoned us for the big city.", Mr. Bennet said.

"Please, don't call me _Ellie_. I'm not five anymore, Dad.", Lizzie replied, smiling at the nickname only her father was allowed to use.

"No, no. I suppose you're not. I don't know many five-year-olds in grad school…"

"Dad!", she said laughing. Oh, how she missed her father's sarcasm.

"How are you doing, my middle child?"

"Perfectly fine, Dad. I've had a busy week and haven't been able to call... How is everyone at home?"

"If by everyone you mean Lydia, your mother, and I, then we are all fine. Your mother is ecstatic because Lydia has brought home an 'eligible son-in-law'. She's out with him right now, actually. The guy looks rather familiar but I don't remember where I've seen him before. And since I'm not as obsessed with having my girls leave me as your mother is, I don't even know the kid's name."

"Wow, Dad. You shook take more of an interest in your daughter's boyfriends. You never know, he might end up being the son you never had."

"It's very possible… Lydia seems to have calmed down a bit and she seemed to be quite attached to the young man at dinner the other day… But I'm not too concerned with him. I'm counting on Mr. Lee snatching away my first-born any day now, according to your mother."

Lizzie laughed and said, "Ahh so Janie finally told Mom about getting back with Bing. I'm glad I'm not home to hear her fantasize aloud about her '_red-headed Asian grandbabies'_…".

"THOMAS! What are you- … Is that Elizabeth?!... Move over, dear. LIZZIE! Oh honey, you won't believe what luck I'm havin'! Two of my girls are well on their way to gettin' married and givin' me grandbabies! Please tell me that, you too, have found a nice young man to bring home for dinner?", Mrs. Bennet prattled, practically shoving Mr. Bennet off the computer chair. Little did Mr. and Mrs. Bennet know, Lizzie was the closest of their girls to giving them their first grandchild…

_"I think so. Maybe.",_ Lizzie thought to herself as Darcy's face popped up in her mind, but of course she wouldn't tell her mother that. "No, Mom. And hey, I love you guys but… I've gotta go, okay? I've got some independent study work to do."

"Alright now, dear! Don't work too hard. It's a Saturday! Why don't you go out and see if you can find a nice young man like your sisters, huh? You should see who Lydia brought home- HEY! Thomas!... Why, I never!-", Mrs. Bennet said as she was picked up by Mr. Bennet.

"Bye, Ellie. Call back soon! I'm not hearing from you often enough.", Mr. Bennet said before walking away with Mrs. Bennet kicking and screaming over his shoulder.

Lizzie chuckled and shook her head at her parents. She missed her crazy family. She wanted to ask about Lydia but she decided not today. Maybe the next time she called, Lydia would be home. She'd try to break the ice by asking her who her new man was.

* * *

Lizzie had nothing else to do, so she figured she'd clean the house. She ordered a pizza and started organizing things in the guest room where she was staying. Now that she thought about it, she hadn't really touched anything in there. Her clothes were all in the closet and in the top drawers of the chest.

There wasn't much to do except pick up her clothes and differentiate between clean and dirty. Lizzie wasn't a slob or anything, but she had gotten used to her mother folding her clothes for them and that made her a bit lazy.

She started rummaging through empty drawers and was surprised when she came across a box of condoms in the back of the nightstand's drawer. She immediately dropped them and put them back where they were. "What the hell are _those_ doing in there?", she thought as she eyed her bed suspiciously.

Just then the doorbell rang. _"The pizza is here!",_ Lizzie thought hungrily as she ran to her purse to get money.

* * *

The rest of the weekend was uneventful for both Darcy and Lizzie. Darcy worked from home and Lizzie worked on her thesis.

However Monday arrived and both parties were really excited for the day, although for different reasons. Lizzie was eagerly awaiting her lunch break so she could go exchange her phone and Darcy was waiting for a good moment to ask Lizzie out.

He had seen her leave her office and said to himself as he paced in his office, "Alright, William. You've procrastinated long enough. When she returns, you will head to her office and ask her out." Then he shook his head and thought himself silly for talking to himself.

Lizzie had just arrived with her brand new phone and was waiting for it to activate. "Yesss! Finally! I _have_ to record a video about this!", she decided as she got her camera ready to share news about her phone.

It still wasn't working properly; the guy at the phone store said that it could take up to 30 minutes to be able to receive and send calls and texts. And on top of that, she had to wait for it to update to the newest software.

She had begun talking about her phone, when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in!", she said.

In walked Darcy looking nervous but determined. After the awkward small talk, Darcy finally revealed why he had come into her office.

"I have something I'd like to ask you…", he said.

"Sure.", Lizzie replied smiling.

"Gigi and I have year-round tickets to the theater and tonight, they're showing one of Shakespeare's comedies… and I was wondering if you'd like to attend?"

"Sure, I'd love to go with you and Gigi! It's been a while since I've seen a live performance."

**BEEP. BEEP.**

"Sorry! That's my phone.", she apologized and checked her phone.

He cleared his throat and continued, "Actually Gigi is busy tonight, so she can't accompany us… It'd just be you and uh, me."

They stared at each other for about 3 seconds, and then just as Lizzie was about to reply, her phone beeped again.

"Oh no!", she exclaimed as she picked up her phone. "It died on me!"

The man at the phone store specifically told Lizzie that the phone had to be fully charged to avoid interruption during activation; it had completely slipped her mind due to her enthusiasm. Since her old phone and her new phone were the same brand, she didn't need to buy a new charger, but she didn't think about bringing her old one along.

"Ugh! Oh well, whatever. I'll just put it to charge and let it activate and update at home…" she said and then turned to Darcy, "…while you and I watch some Shakespeare!"

The relief that Darcy felt when she agreed cannot be put into words.

He smiled and said, "Great. So, uh, I can drop you off at home after work and then pick you up again an hour later? The show starts at 7:00 but the doors are open for seating at 6:30... Well, that's if you'd like. Is that alright with you?"

Lizzie nodded. "That sounds perfect."

Darcy got up and smiled at her before leaving her office. When he got to his office, he found himself too worked up to do any work.

Lizzie had forgotten she'd been recording about her new phone. She turned off the camera and thought to herself, _"No way am I sending that to Charlotte yet. She'll make a huge deal over nothing."_

Now, the rest of her afternoon had been consumed with thoughts of going on a date with Darcy. She'd been alternating between that and working on another report for her thesis. She'd avoided checking her email and all social media because she really wanted to get this work done today and could not afford any more distractions.

* * *

Darcy did as he promised and showed up to Lizzie's office at 5pm on the dot. They walked together to the parking garage and then he drove her home.

"See you in about an hour?", Lizzie asked as she got out of the car. Darcy nodded yes, smiling, like he has been since he left her office earlier.

As soon as she got home, Lizzie put her phone to charge in her room and started to get ready. They were going to a fancy theater so she wanted to wear something formal. She decided on a fitted satin red cocktail dress (a Jane Bennet creation) with a pair of gold strappy heels and a gold clutch. She was putting her hair up, when she realized she hadn't turned on her phone.

It was charging but it didn't automatically turn on, so she went over to her night stand and turned it on so it could start activation again. The constant beeping annoyed her, so she put the phone on silent.

_"Stupid technology. Why does everything have to be so complicated? I thought this was supposed to be a smart phone?",_ she thought and then noticed the time. _"Darcy's gonna get here soon! I gotta finish getting ready! Hopefully this thing is done activating by the time I get back."_, she hoped as she put her phone face-down on the stand.

When Darcy arrived, he tried calling her phone but it still wasn't working, so he rang the doorbell. She opened up and said, "Hey Darcy. Sorry, I've just got to get my clutch and I'll be ready." She didn't really look at him because she was preoccupied with finding her misplaced bag, so she didn't see the look in his eyes when he saw her.

He looked at her from head to toe and stared at her intensely. He was mesmerized by her beauty and even pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Red was definitely her color. She looked amazing; not to mention incredibly alluring. Her dress was tight and showed off her petite frame. Also, her hair was up so Darcy had full view of (and access to) her neck. He shook his head to try to rid himself of these thoughts, just as Lizzie approached him.

"'Kay, I'm ready!", Lizzie said excitedly.

Darcy plucked up some courage then cleared his throat and told her, "Before we go, I'd like to tell you that you look amazing, Lizzie."

She blushed and tried to brush off the compliment, "Thanks, but you look great too." That was an understatement, though. She thought he looked incredibly handsome. He had forgone wearing a suit jacket, so she could vaguely make out the lean torso underneath that she'd seen when they played tennis together.

He also blushed and then motioned to the door and said, "Shall we?"

* * *

They got to the theater and Darcy guided Lizzie to their seats. Lizzie was astonished at how much better the view from the box seats were and she and Darcy began talking about the most recent plays they'd seen. She found herself adding this to the list of things they have in common.

Lizzie and Darcy were an odd pair; whenever they were alone together, they had a great, non-awkward time and enjoyed each other's company. It was before and after they spent time together that they got weird. When they would begin to over-analyze the other's words or actions, or become self-conscious, that's when they felt like they were doing something wrong. This weird feeling is what resulted in awkward handshakes and waves as goodbyes.

But not tonight.

"That was a great performance. And do you remember the part when he-", Darcy commented.

"I know! I had never seen anyone interpret it like that; it was hilarious!", Lizzie agreed, cutting him off because she knew exactly what part he was thinking of.

Darcy chuckled and then suggested, "Lizzie, what do you say we eat something? I'm famished."

"Same here. I think I haven't eaten since my late lunch after I spoke with you in my office."

They went to a Greek restaurant that was near the theater. It was close enough to walk, so they did. They each enjoyed the sensation of bumping shoulders and of their hands colliding as they walked.

After they ate, neither wanted the night to end but couldn't think of any excuse to prolong their outing. But, when they arrived at her place, Lizzie said, "Hey, Darcy… You're, um, welcome to come in and help me finish off some of the cheese and wine from your gift basket. I don't know about you, but I'm not very tired. I'm too worked up from the play still… If you can't, I totally get it. There's work to be done tomorrow."

Darcy's expression was incredulous. He been brain-storming a way to extend their night and here it was from Lizzie herself. He quickly responded, "That's a great idea.", and let her get out of the car to open the door while he parked.

When he got inside, he sat down on the couch in the living room and Lizzie brought out a bucket with ice and several bottles of wine inside. In her other hand was a large wedge of cheese, and a small knife, and two wine glasses between her fingers.

Darcy got up to help her and together they set everything down on the coffee table.

"Do you mind if we watch TV? Maybe there's something good on.", Lizzie suggested.

Darcy nodded and Lizzie turned the television on, only to find that the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice had just started.

She laughed and said, "What a coincidence! A period drama while you're here!", remembering his secret appreciation for them.

Darcy also joined in her laughter and said, "What are the chances?"

Lizzie read at the bottom of the screen that it said 'No Interruptions'.

"And look, no commercials!", she exclaimed.

"Guess I'm going to have to stay and watch the whole thing then.", Darcy said jokingly but they both knew they wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

They drank wine and ignored the cheese. They kept their glasses full at all times because both of them felt more and more comfortable with each sip.

They began comparing the 1995 miniseries with this version. They were arguing the pros and cons of each version when Lizzie got really animated with a drink in hand and accidentally spilled it on Darcy's shirt.

"Oh my gosh! Sorry! I'm so sorry! Wait, let me try to fix it.", she exclaimed and ran towards the kitchen to get a wet wash cloth. When she reached the sink, she almost tripped and thanked the heavens that Darcy had not been there witness that embarrassing moment. _"Guess I'm a little more tipsy than I thought."_

She returned to him and began trying to clean the stain, but her efforts were futile. While scrubbing the stain, Lizzie was bent over in front of Darcy and he had a really nice view of her cleavage. He was tipsy, so his brain wasn't screaming at him to stop looking as it would have if he had been sober.

"It's not working. Sorry Darcy. Give me your shirt so I can throw it in the washing machine before the stain sets in.", she commanded.

When she saw Darcy was having trouble with the shirt buttons, she helped him out. He started unbuttoning from the bottom, and she started from the top. Their fingers brushed in the middle and they both felt a small electric shock of sorts.

Underneath his button-up, his undershirt had also gotten stained and he had to take that off, too. He seemed to be having trouble with that as well, so she helped him out again; only this time, her fingers trailed lightly up his sides as she lifted his shirt and Darcy couldn't help but shiver.

Lizzie pretended not to notice, and they smiled at each other, both embarrassed and blushing, before Lizzie said, "I'll be right back.", and she walked off with his shirts.

When she returned, she observed the shirtless man before her. His face was still a little pink and his hair was ruffled up from the removal of his shirt and he just looked so damn adorable to her.

She instinctively sat down next to him and ran her fingers through his hair. "Your hair was kind of messed up.", she explained and stopped abruptly when she realized what she'd done.

"Then I guess I'll take the liberty of fixing yours as well.", Darcy said softly, as he tucked a few loose hairs behind Lizzie's ears. His fingers lingered behind her ear and trailed down to her neck, where they stayed caressing her skin. Under normal circumstances he wouldn't have been so bold, but his slightly inebriated brain was also becoming intoxicated by Lizzie's innocent concern for his clothing and hair.

After just a few seconds of his touch, Lizzie leaned forward and kissed Darcy. The moment felt heavy with tension and he was shirtless and touching her and she felt the urge to kiss him, so she did. If anything, she could blame it on the alcohol.

* * *

**SKIP HERE IF YOU DON'T WANT SEXY TIMES :P**

* * *

At first, he was in disbelief but that quickly faded. Just before she could completely pull away, he held her face gently and became an active participant in the kiss.

Lizzie kissed him with uncertainty at first, but that doubt faded into passion. He felt her tongue slip past his lips and almost smiled at the taste of wine still present.

Lizzie's hands were originally on Darcy's shoulders but her right hand moved up into his hair and her left moved down onto his back. This gave him confidence to move his hands from her jaw, down to her waist and lower back.

While kissing, they were pulling each other closer and closer until there was no space between them; and Darcy instinctively pushed Lizzie down, until she was lying on the couch and he was hovering above her, between her legs.

His hands wouldn't stay still; he was moving them up down her waist, not sure if he was allowed to touch elsewhere just yet. Her hands, however, were exploring all of his neck, shoulders, and lower back; the fact that he was shirtless allowed him to enjoy her touch even more.

He continued to kiss Lizzie passionately, but moved from her lips to behind her ear. He could feel her moving her head sideways to give him more access to an area that was hypersensitive for her. This made Lizzie automatically wrap her legs around Darcy's hips and she gasped a little as she felt Darcy's rigid arousal press into her thigh.

He moved down from behind her ear to her neck; his goal became to mark his territory by giving Lizzie a mark she could remember him by for the next couple of days.

She moaned softly and he slowly moved his hand up toward her breast, causing Lizzie to open her mouth and tilt her head back. Darcy kissed her deeply and continued to massage her breasts and torso for several minutes until he couldn't stand her soft moaning any longer.

He pulled away suddenly and sat up, panting and flushed. Lizzie opened her eyes and had a pouty look that screamed 'Why did you stop?', which mimicked her thoughts.

"Lizzie, I can't do this anymore. If we're not going to…", Darcy paused to think of a polite way to say it, "…'go all the way', then I think we should stop here. I can't continue like this…"

Lizzie sat up too, her hair wild and her face glowing from the stimulation. Darcy almost smirked to see his effect on her but then he looked down and saw that his effect on her was nothing in comparison to what she'd done to him.

Lizzie got up from the couch, drank the bit of wine left in the glass, and then offered her hand to Darcy. He looked at it confused, but grabbed it and she tried pulling him up.

He laughed at her attempt and then got up as she led him to her bedroom.

She led him toward the bed and then pushed him so he fell back onto it, causing him to look at her questioningly. _"What is she doing? I told her I can't go on…",_ he thought.

_"A confused Darcy. I'd never thought I'd see the day. Then again, this whole night was never in the realm of possibilities…"_, she wondered, smiling at the unlikely situation they were in.

She removed her dress as he watched, dumbfounded, and then stood before him in her lacy underwear for a couple of seconds as he gazed at her.

She then moved to unbuckle his belt and remove his pants before Darcy stopped her. "Lizzie-", was all he said before she shushed him.

With his pants gone, Lizzie decided to climb atop Darcy and continue where they'd left off on the couch. At first Darcy wanted to protest but he was swept away by Lizzie's lips.

After another heavy make-out session with Lizzie on top, Darcy said frustratedly, "Lizzie, we can't do this. Trust me, I want be with you _badly _but I wasn't anticipating this at all and I didn't… come prepared." He wondered why she insisted on teasing him.

Lizzie smiled and finally spoke, "I didn't expect this to happen at all _trust me_, but luckily for us, Dr. Gardiner's relatives are very thoughtful hosts."

Lizzie leaned over to the bedside table (completely ignoring the face-down cell phone that, had she checked, would have revealed several missed calls and voice mails) and opened the drawer to pull out the box of condoms she'd discovered while cleaning up the other day. Unfortunately, they didn't bother to check the expiration date to see that those condoms were a couple years past their prime.

That changed everything. Darcy's hesitancy disappeared and he pulled Lizzie down to him, kissing her roughly. After a couple minutes, he flipped her over so that he was on top of her and kissed her all over. He was no longer holding back; he was forceful and almost barbaric in the way he ripped off Lizzie's bra and panties.

Lizzie, having experienced only a nice and controlled Darcy since arriving in the city, was surprised at how wild he seemed and she liked it. There was nothing robotic about the way he was making her feel right now.

She helped him remove his boxers and put on the condom. After that, he was hovering over her taking in every curve of her beautiful body and then of her beautiful face. He looked her in the eyes and asked, "Are you ready?". She nodded yes and then he kissed her with an unrestrained passion as he entered her body.

Both of them moaned and stilled at the intense pleasure they felt; neither had been intimate with anyone in years. Darcy didn't move for a little while, soaking up the feeling of being one with Lizzie. Never in a million years did he dream it was possible.

The first time was fast and rough. All the uncertainty, awkwardness, and embarrassing moments that had taken place between the two had fueled this impassioned union. Lizzie's noises and gyration of her hips beneath him drove Darcy insane, and Darcy's thrusting erased any possibility of Lizzie making a coherent thought, which is why all she could do was pant and moan loudly to match his grunts.

When they were done, Darcy was the first to speak. "I apologize, Lizzie. I seem to have bruised you. ", he said, but didn't sound sorry at all; he was too sated. In his ardently aroused state, he hadn't been aware that he'd held her hips so tight.

"It's alright… I'm sorry too. Your back may or may not look like you lost a fight to a tiger.", she said and giggled, feeling bubbly and light.

Darcy looked over at her and he thought, _"She's so gorgeous…"._ She was smiling from ear to ear and her hair was spread out all around her, framing her pretty face.

He enjoyed the sound of her laughter and wanted to hear it again, so he tickled her. The tickling led to round 2, and here Darcy truly made love to Lizzie. He took his time and he was gentle. Lizzie had never made love. She'd had good sex before, but this was beyond anything she'd ever experienced.

This time, the pleasure wasn't as intense, and Lizzie was able to moan words of pleasure into Darcy's ears. He in turn, would whisper back what he felt about her deep inside: that she was perfect; that she was beautiful; that she was amazing; that she was the best lover he ever had.

* * *

**CONTINUE HERE. SEXY TIMES ARE OVER. ;)  
**

* * *

He wanted so badly to tell her that he loved her, but he didn't feel confident enough. Sure, he was with her at the moment and there was no doubt she was enjoying every second of it, but the last time he confessed his love for her, things didn't turn out so well. He didn't want her to say those three powerful words in the heat of the moment either. He wanted her to mean them beyond question, like he did.

Lizzie wasn't even remotely aware how Darcy felt. She suspected that he liked her (obviously, if he's sleeping with her), but she had no idea how _much_ he liked her. To be fair, she had no idea how much she liked _him_ until she'd led him to her bedroom. But she didn't want to think about confusing feelings right now; she just wanted to experience the pleasure. They'd have plenty of time to label their relationship later, right?

It was here, my friends, in this moment of coital bliss, that something truly magical occurred. A very special little cell from William Darcy raced toward a very special cell of Elizabeth Bennet. As Lizzie and Darcy slept wrapped up in each other's arms, their baby was conceived. Nine months from this day, a Darcy-Bennet love child will have been born.

* * *

**This will probably be the only detailed sexy time going down in this fic so if I did a horrible job, don't worry too much about any more going down later on.**

**I hope I didn't disappoint! Next chapter Lizzie finds out about Lydia and Wickham! dun Dun DUN!  
**

**I'm changing the Lydia-Wickham arc somewhat. Lizzie won't find out she's prego for a little while, so I need to change some things. :P**

***CYBERHUGS*  
**


	6. Lizzie Goes Home

**Enjoy. :D  
**

* * *

Darcy was awakened by the alarm on his phone. It was 7am on a Tuesday morning and he did not want to get up. He was usually an early riser, but under the current circumstances, it's understandable why he wouldn't want to start the day.

_"Should I call in sick?... I've never done that before but I really don't want to leave Lizzie's side…"_, he thought as he looked over at Lizzie.

She was just starting to rouse, also having been woken by the alarm on Darcy's phone. She stretched and then turned to look at him cautiously.

"Good morning, Darcy…", she said hesitantly. She wasn't sure if last night had been a result of sexual depravity and alcohol mixed together or if he actually wanted it to happen. Darcy internally cringed when he heard her call him by his last name.

"Good morning, Lizzie. I –uh- kind of would prefer you not call me 'Darcy' anymore. I mean, after last night, I feel we're intimate enough to be on a first name basis…", he suggested.

"Okay, so you want me call you William?", asked Lizzie confused. _"It's really not that strange of a request. People are usually called by their first names. But it just feels weird with Darc- I mean _William_."_

Darcy replied, "Yes. You could call me whatever you like, but I like my first name because it's so much more familiar."

"Okay, _William_. But no one calls you that except for family…"

"And now you.", he said as he got up to go to the bathroom and to get dressed, picking up his clothes from the floor along the way.

Lizzie giggled as he walked away because he wasn't wearing anything and she caught herself staring at his ass.

* * *

She yawned and then wondered what time it was. _"It must be early because I feel like I haven't slept at all. Or maybe that's just due to the exercise…_", she thought playfully.

She wasn't wearing a watch, but she did have her brand new phone lying on the bedside table. She picked it up and turned on the screen: 7:08am. _"Ughh! I don't want to go to work today!"_, she thought before she swiped the lock screen.

"Whoa! 19 missed calls? From who?!", she said aloud as she was surprised. The missed calls were 10 from Charlotte's cell, 6 from Jane's cell, and 3 from the house phone.

She also saw she had a bunch of text messages like:

_Lizzie! Where are you? Call me! –Char_

_Lizzie I really need you to call me! It's urgent. – Jane_

_ELIZABETH BENNET! ANSWER YOUR FREAKING PHONE! FAMILY CRISIS! –Char_

Lizzie was alarmed by the number of times she'd been contacted and then she got really scared. _"Oh my God... Something happened to somebody! Someone is dead! Someone is in the hospital… Wait, don't get ahead of yourself. You don't know what's going on…"_ she thought as she called Charlotte's cell.

"Finally! Lizzie where have you been?! Never mind that. I'm sorry to say I've got some bad news concerning Lydia-"

"What happened to Lydia? Is she okay? Did she have an accident or something… Please tell me she wasn't driving drunk-"

"No, Lizzie! Lydia's physically fine! But personally I think she's gone crazy. She's been dating Wickham and-"

"WICKHAM?! As in George Wickham, the asshole-scumbag-sleazeball?!"

"Yes. Your ex! She's been dating him and I received a bunch of messages on YouTube asking me if the website was legit-"

"What website? What are you talking about?"

"Lizzie! Stop interrupting! I sent you the link in an email titled 'Lizzie please open this ASAP'. Have you not checked your email either? What the hell have you been up to?!"

Lizzie blushed and cleared her throat, "I…"

"Look it doesn't matter. Check your email and look at the website. Wickham and Lydia made a sex tape and somebody is selling it online!"

"Wait, WHAT? LYDIA AND WICKHAM AND A SEXTAPE?", cried Lizzie in disbelief.

"Mmhmm! Look, I've gotta go, Lizzie. I've got an early meeting with Mr. Collins and Mrs. DeBourgh. But please check your email! Oh- I've taken the liberty of telling Jane since you didn't pick up your phone. I think she's coming home soon... Bye, Lizzie. I'm so sorry…"

* * *

Darcy overheard the commotion from the laundry room when he was retrieving his shirts, and returned to Lizzie's bedroom.

"Hey, Lizzie, is everything alright?", he asked with concern evident in his voice.

Lizzie was sitting up in bed and her eyes, which were glued to her phone, began tearing up. Darcy walked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder, asking, "Lizzie? What's wrong?".

His touch still made Lizzie tingle, so she shrugged his hand off of her shoulder before answering, "Everything is wrong! And it's all my fault!".

"What are you talking about? Surely, you're mistaken.", he said trying to soothe her.

She shoved her phone into his hand and said, "How can you tell me that's not my fault?! I could have prevented this! I knew how terrible he was and now look! I've gotta go home! I've got to find some way to fix this."

Darcy looked at the phone and saw a picture of George and Lydia in bed together. There was a countdown to the release date of the video.

_"Damn it, George! Why do you keep doing this? First my younger sister and now the love of my life's younger sister."_, he thought, shaking his head. He shifted into robot-mode and was already trying to brainstorm ways he could have the website taken down and the video release stopped.

Lizzie was frantically looking for clean underwear and clothes to put on. After she was semi-dressed, she started saying, "I gotta go. How am I gonna get home? I have to buy a plane ticket. No, no, no this can't be happening to my family! I could've warned her about him but noooo I had to be petty and continue our stupid fight."

Darcy walked over to Lizzie and held her forcefully on the shoulders so she'd calm down. She shrugged his hands off of her again. He didn't understand, but he took the hint that she didn't wanna be touched.

"Lizzie, stop it! First of all, you aren't going to go anywhere without a shirt. Second of all, this isn't your fault. You cannot blame yourself for George's actions. Lastly, I'm going to take care of your flight. Just get ready.", he declared and started punching numbers on his phone's dial pad.

"No way, Dar- I mean William. I can't let you do that, it's-"

"I insist… it's the least I could do.", he replied distractedly before leaving the room and arranging Lizzie's flight and transportation.

* * *

_"Ouch.",_ was all Lizzie could think after he said that. _"It's the least he could do."_

You see, Lizzie misinterpreted his statement. She still wasn't sure about their status and they hadn't had a chance to talk about last night and the last couple of weeks, so when he said "It's the least I can do.", she thought he was referring to their time together.

The fact that her family was now associated with the likes of Wickham, a man who caused a big rift in the Darcy family, made Lizzie think he would want nothing to do with her, and that this grand gesture was a goodbye of sorts.

Little did Lizzie know, he meant that it was the least he could do because he felt he was the one at fault. He was the cause of Lizzie's anguish because he hadn't properly dealt with Wickham the last time. _"Not a mistake I shall allow myself to commit twice.",_ he resolved as he made some calls to find out as much as he could about Wickham's whereabouts.

Lizzie finished getting ready and felt depressed. She felt guilty about Lydia and about the fact that while she was having out-of-this-world sex with Darcy, her baby sister's reputation was slowly deteriorating on the internet.

"Lizzie, there's a car waiting for you outside. It will drop you off at the airport. I've ordered for the head of the flight-booking department to meet you outside and personally escort you to your seat. The plane leaves soon, however, but I can make them wait if you feel you need more time.", Darcy said as he poked his head back into Lizzie's room.

"No, I'm ready. I've got all the important stuff."

"Alright, well then let me walk you to the car. I'll be headed off to- work. If you leave the key with me, I can have Gigi come over and pack your things so we can send them to your house.", he informed her. He almost let it slip that he was going to search for Wickham. But no, he didn't want her to know. He didn't want her gratitude.

"Of course, of course. Here.", she said pulling the key out of her purse.

Darcy walked Lizzie to the car and before she got in, she said, "Thank you, Darcy.", and gave him a hug goodbye. She purposefully called him by his last name. There was no point in allowing herself the exclusivity of his first name if she was never going to see him again.

That made Darcy really sad. Less than an hour ago, she'd been happily calling him William and they were making progress. But now, she was back to calling him Darcy and she was going back home. _"There is no hope for us now…",_ he thought pessimistically as he took in Lizzie's scent for the last time.

She still smelled like him a little, and he couldn't help but smile at the memory. _"A memory. That's all last night will ever be… just a memory, albeit a very pleasurable one."_

When Darcy arrived at home, Gigi was just about to leave for the office. However, before she could ask about his whereabouts, he told her about Lydia and Wickham. "I have a favor to ask of you, Gigi. Can you please go to where Lizzie was staying and pack up her stuff? She's already left for the airport."

"Okay, no problem William. Anything to help out… But-"

"Not now, Gigi. Just please go do this for me- for Lizzie."

* * *

On the way to the airport, Lizzie texted Charlotte that she was on her way home and then she called Jane.

"Lizzie!"

"Janie, I'm so sorry! It's that I got a new phone and then I left it at home and ugh, just lots of little things. But I'm on my way home! Char said you might be, too?"

"Yes. I'm coming home tonight. Oh, Lizzie! Our baby sister…", she choked up. Lizzie couldn't see her but she knew that Jane was beginning to shed tears.

"I know!", Lizzie replied, also beginning to cry.

They spoke all the way until Lizzie arrived at the airport, where was greeted by the head of the flight-booking department and escorted to her seat on the plane, as promised. When she arrived back in her town, she was surprised to see a man holding a name-card that said 'Ms. Elizabeth Bennet'. _"I guess this was Darcy's doing. I was just gonna take a cab home but… wow. Thanks, Darcy."_, she thought longingly. He had been so nice to her.

* * *

Mr. and Mrs. Bennet were pleasantly surprised when Lizzie arrived. When asked why she was back, she said she really missed everyone and needed to see them. She also mentioned her independent study was mostly complete and that she could work on the rest at home. _"Which reminds me, I've got to let Dr. Gardiner know…"._

Lizzie eagerly awaited Lydia, but she didn't arrive until way after Jane had come home. The Bennets were even more surprised because now both daughters had returned. Mrs. Bennet was fussing because they hadn't let her know ahead of time.

"If I'd have known y'all were comin' back, I'd have fixed your rooms a little. Why, I turned Lizzie's room into my meditation room and I turned Jane's room into my sewing center. I just assumed you two would find lovely boys to move in with. Well _you_ did, Jane! How's Bing?! Why didn't he come with you?"

"Mom, Bing is fine. He's in school and can't just follow me around everywhere. Besides, I didn't live with him in L.A. I had my own apartment.", replied Jane calmly.

"Oh! I just thought that when y'all got back together y'all had moved in together. You know, you two could use a lesson or two from your youngest sister. Lydia knows best! You two should be ashamed. She's been datin' that nice young swimmer man for a while now and sometimes, she doesn't come home! Ha ha! Now don't tell your father. Well, anyway, you two are going to have to share Lizzie's room because I've grown quite fond of havin' my own space. Hmm."

Lizzie and Jane decided to let their father know what was going on. From the conversation they'd just had with their mother, they knew it would not be wise to tell her. They spoke to him after dinner and it was the first time they'd seen their father shed a tear in a long time.

At first he was livid, but then that slowly faded into a deep sadness. He felt sorry for his daughter; sorry his family's name; and sorry that he had been oblivious to this man's intentions. When Lizzie told him Wickham was her ex, Mr. Bennet said, "I knew he looked familiar! But you were right, Lizzie. I should've taken more interest in my girls' boyfriends. The fact that he would date his ex-girlfriend's little sister is a red flag…".

They had a really long conversation and Lizzie showed him some of the videos. He knew everything now. Well, only everything everyone else knew; because no one knew about her and Darcy's night together…

* * *

…except Gigi. When Gigi arrived at Lizzie's place, she saw empty bottles of wine in the living room, and she found an expensive looking sock near the foot of the bed, which looked kind of like the ones her older brother wears.

"I see…", Gigi said as she began packing up Lizzie's stuff. Gigi wasn't stupid; she put two and two together and came to the conclusion that "Darcy spent the night with Lizzie". She smirked to herself and thought, _"At least something good happened lately…"._

* * *

Lizzie went in the den to film a video. She needed _something_ to do while she waited for Lydia to show up. She updated the viewers with what was going on with the website, and pleaded them not to give the website any attention.

When Lydia arrived, she was on the phone. "Hey, call me back. I know you're busy but I miss you. It's been days since we last spoke and since we… well, you know. Call me soon,'kay? Love you."

"Hey, Lydia!", Lizzie said trying to get her attention before she went up the stairs.

"Oh, you're back. Grreaatt.", Lydia replied sarcastically.

This made Lizzie angry and she released everything she feared for her sister.

"Are you crazy, Lydia?! How could you do something like this? This type of thing can follow you around forever. You might not be able to get a decent job because of this!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Wickham!"

"He said you'd be jealous of us! I don't care!"

She got up to walk away but Lizzie pulled her back down and handed her the phone.

"What's this?", Lydia said when she saw the picture of her and George in bed on the website.

_"She had no idea…",_ Lizzie thought disgustedly after Lydia ran up to her bedroom crying. It's not that Lizzie thought that Lydia would normally do something like this, it's just that she had underestimated Wickham. She didn't know he could be so cruel. That was why she assumed Lydia was in on it. But now she felt even more guilt-ridden after accusing her sister of being a part of it.

"Better let Jane and Dad know…", she said sadly as she left the den in search of her father.

* * *

**Lizzie's finally home! So hmm, how will Lizzie's pregnancy fit in with this scandal? Stay tuned to find out.**

**I think Lizzie may find out she's prego next chapter or the chapter after next at the latest. And don't worry, I'm not planning on keeping Darcy and Lizzie separated for too long. ;)**

**How do you guys think everyone's going to react? I can't wait to write Mrs. Bennet's reaction LOL and Catherine DeBourgh's! ^.^  
**

_Also, if your guys are interested, I made some LBD-inspired sims! The link is on my profile if you want to check them out!_


	7. Wickham Time

**I stretched out the Lydia/Wickham arc to give Lizzie enough time to find out she's pregnant... You guys will see what I mean. At the end of this chapter she'll be a little over a month pregnant already. Thanks to FF user SOLYAHU who inspired part of this chapter and the next!  
**

* * *

Lizzie was in the den making a video to kill time. It had been a few days since she'd been at home and there hadn't been any progress on finding Wickham, so she was very antsy. She was confessing how guilty she felt to the camera, when Jane walked in.

"I just feel really bad. Like this is all my fault. If only I hadn't been fighting with her! I-"

"Whoa, whoa, Lizzie, sweetie this isn't your fault. George made his choices and he should be the one to carry the burden of the consequences, not you. And just to update you, Dad called and said he's on his way back; his detective buddy couldn't dig anything up on Wickham's whereabouts.", Jane said with a sigh.

Lizzie chuckled. "You know, you sound kind of like Da-…. Nevermind. But umm Janie, when are you going back to LA? Fashion Week starts soon and I'm sure Bing misses you."

Darcy had said something similar when Lizzie had been blaming herself after she found out in San Francisco and she almost said it aloud. In order for Darcy to have found out about Lydia, she had to have been with him at 7 in the morning; and to explain why would have been very difficult. _"…this isn't your fault. You cannot blame yourself for George's actions…" _is what he said. Has it really only been a few days since she had woken up next to him?

Jane shook her head sadly and faked a smile. It didn't light up her eyes like it always did, so Lizzie knew wasn't genuine. "Don't worry about it, it's just a job…".

"Wait, tell me what happened, Janie. Is everything alright?"

"Well, I told my boss I had a family emergency as soon as Charlotte called me. He said I was crazy if I thought there'd be a job waiting for me when I returned. So the day we both arrived was my last day. After work, Bing dropped me off at the airport and now I'm unemployed… But it's worth it. I'd be miserable over there knowing that I'm not supporting my baby sister."

"But Jane! She doesn't come out of her room. She doesn't answer our calls. She doesn't listen to us when we try to speak to her through the door… You could've been working at Fashion Week! It could've been something positive in all this mess…"

"It's okay, Lizzie. It just wasn't meant to be, that's all. Something better will come along; just you wait and see… By the way, have you watched her videos?"

"Nope. I tried but I feel sick to my stomach seeing her with that bastard."

"Well, maybe you should. We may think she's not listening to us but she is… more than we know. Now stop moping, and let's help Mom finish off the muffins."

"Mmmm! Muffins!", Lizzie said excitedly, cheered up by the thought of food. She had missed her mother's cooking while she was away and now consumed as much of it as she could.

"Girls! Come take some of these chocolate chip muffins to Lydia! And some milk, too! Nothin' like a full stomach to distract you from an broken heart!", their mother called from the kitchen. To explain Lydia's mood and the absence of the 'nice young swimmer', they'd all told Mrs. Bennet that they had broken up.

* * *

While the Bennets were at home feeling restless and doing their best, Darcy was out and about doing what he could to stop the release of the tape. He had taken Fitz into his confidence and asked him to assist him. He hadn't returned to work since the day Lizzie left and Gigi was worried about him. He didn't tell her what he was doing because he didn't want her involved. _"In no way do I wish to return to the way our relationship was last year. Wickham only brings trouble and we do not need to talk about him.", _he thought as he texted Gigi back.

She'd wanted to know what he was planning to do about the tape. He said nothing; not involving Gigi was for the best…

She called him while he was awaiting a fax from the porn company that had the rights to the sex tape.

_"Is she using the Domino demo? Really Gigi?",_ he thought angrily but that faded into concern for his sister's emotional state. He ended their conversation abruptly in order to stop her from pressing him.

The fax ended up being useless and he punched the table in anger. _"Damn it!"_

* * *

A couple of weeks had passed and Lizzie was wallowing in desperation and guilt because the release date was just a couple of days away and still no sign of Wickham or any way to stop the release. She was filming to relieve stress, when Lydia appeared out of nowhere.

Nobody had actually seen Lydia for weeks. She came out when everybody else was asleep or out. She took the food they left outside her door and left the empty plates and cups outside. She had her own bathroom, so she really didn't need to run into anybody.

Lydia finally broke down in front of Lizzie. They shared a moment of mutual grief and guilt and shame, and they cried together.

"Lydia, _I_ love you. _Mom and Dad and Jane_ love you. you're Mary's _best friend_. Your family loves you and we will be here for you no matter what, you got that? You are loved, Lydia, and I'm sorry if any of us ever made you feel like you weren't.", Lizzie said through tears, while rocking Lydia in her arms.

"It's just that... you never called. And Jane never called. When I called Jane, she was super busy and I thought it'd be best if I just didn't bother, you know? And George; he made me think you guys were against me… and I believed him!"

"It's okay Lydia. He's a manipulative asshole and he picked on you when you were weak."

"But he's _my_ manipulative asshole Lizzie! I am still _in love_ with him! And I thought he loved me too…"

"Lydia, it's not your fault! How many times do we have to tell you?!"

"But it feels like it is…", Lydia said, letting the tears flow freely.

"You know what? I don't wanna hear you talking like this anymore. Let's go to the kitchen and eat some food, okay? Mom made four-cheese lasagna last night with some apple pie for dessert and there's plenty of left-overs! I put some in the oven to heat up a little while ago and I can smell it already…", Lizzie suggested.

"Really? I can't smell anything.", Lydia said sniffing, as Lizzie dragged her towards the kitchen.

* * *

Lizzie had gained a couple of pounds; nothing too noticeable. Her appetite had increased a lot in the past few weeks and she began eating at least two helpings of food for most meals. Nobody really noticed except her mother. She was just glad someone was enjoying her cooking and she always believed her girls were all too skinny. Mrs. Bennet was full-figured herself and she just felt her daughters should be a little plumper.

Not to mention her sense of smell had gotten much better. She could smell her mother's food way before she called everyone over for each meal.

Lizzie had also been napping a lot. Jane noticed that, but attributed it to Lizzie staying up late researching Novelty Exposures and searching for Wickham. They shared Lizzie's room now, so she knew pretty much what Lizzie was up to all day.

Lizzie didn't notice any of these things. And she especially didn't notice when her period didn't come. She was too caught up in Lydia's drama to pay attention to herself.

* * *

Darcy seemed to locate a number that may belong to Wickham but had no way to track it or find out who it belonged to. He got it from one of the 'street sources' he'd hired. He was back at Pemberley Digital but as soon as he heard there was a lead, he called Fitz and they started working together to find him again. It turned out to be a dead end. Unless someone picked up that phone, there was no way to track it.

Darcy sighed and said to Fitz, "I think I'm going to have to buy Novelty Exposures."

"What?! Darcy do you know how that's going to look?"

"I know, I know. If any of our partners or investors find out I acquisitioned a pornographic business, we would be in danger of them backing out of Pemberley… but I don't think I have another choice. I can't let that scumbag win, and if that tape gets out Lydia will be ruined…"

"Darcy, dude, you are either incredibly dumb, or a really good person. And right now, I can't make up my mind.", Fitz joked.

Darcy smiled but he wasn't happy. He'd wanted to avoid doing this. This could really mess up the reputation of what his father had worked so hard on. _"But I've got to do this for Lizzie… I can't stand to think what she'll feel like if this gets out. And I won't be there to comfort her…"._

It took a few days, but on the day that the video was supposed to be released, the site was taken down. William Darcy was now the sole proprietor of Novelty Exposures, the porn company. The paperwork took longer than expected because the original owners didn't believe someone was really willing to pay millions for their business, and they thought someone just wanted to uncover their identities. But finally, he had access to all their records and he had the company's copies of Lydia's video destroyed. He also had a P.O. Box where they sent a check as payment for the video. The P.O. Box's address was in LA, so at least they knew he was somewhere nearby.

* * *

It was Valentine's Day and Mrs. Bennet was baking heart-shaped cookies, which Lizzie was practically drooling for. To distract herself until they were done, Lizzie decided to film a video cursing George Wickham's name and wishing she'd never met him. But soon after she'd started recording, Lydia walked in and announced the site had been taken down.

"WHAT?! Seriously?!", Lizzie asked, taken aback completely.

"Mmhmm. I don't know who or why but it's gone.", Lydia said, hoping that maybe it was George who had come to the rescue.

"This is great! Let's go tell Dad and Jane!", Lizzie said excitedly as she looked at the deactivated website on her phone.

"Oh and thank you to whoever did this! Thank you, thank you, thank you! We appreciate it so very much.", Lizzie added quickly before shutting off the camera and hugging Lydia.

* * *

Later that night, Darcy watched her video and felt relieved. _"I did it. I stopped it. Look at her, she looks so happy. She's practically glowing."_, Darcy thought as he smiled to himself. His thoughts quickly went back to another time when he had made Lizzie glow with happiness. He tried not to think about their night together, and stopping the release of the tape had taken up much of his thoughts for the past weeks. But now that it was stopped, he was, for the most part, relaxed and Lizzie took up the majority of his brain space again.

However, Gigi would put an end to that relaxation. She called him and gave him something new to worry about.

"William, I'm glad you've stopped the release of the video! It's really honorable what you did, and I know you did it for Lizzie, so you should tell her! But before you lecture me on staying out of your business, hear what I have to say. I think we should continue looking for George…"

"But why?"

"Because George isn't stupid, William! He could have kept a copy of the tape for himself!"

"If he releases that video anywhere else, he'd be breaching his contract with Novelty Exposures and we could sue him. He's a money-man, Georgiana. You, of all people, should know that.", Darcy replied, flinching at the last part of his speech. He didn't mean for it to come out like that.

"I know, William, but I know from experience that George doesn't always do as told.", Gigi said blinking rapidly to hold back the tears. She knew her brother hadn't meant to hurt her, but it did sting.

"What do you mean, Gigi?"

"So, while George and I were… living together… we umm kind of made a tape of our own… and wait- please don't say anything, William, just hear me out. It was supposed to be just for fun. But then I told him to delete it and he did, right in front of me. But one day, I was snooping around and saw that he backed it up onto a DVD. All it said was "Gigi' in permanent marker. I thought maybe it was pictures we'd taken on our trips together… yes bro, we went on vacations together… but umm, yea. But it wasn't pictures. It was the video I thought he'd deleted. So he backs his stuff up, Will. He isn't dumb."

Gigi was blushing profusely and was so embarrassed and ashamed and she thought her brother would be angry with her. He wasn't, though.

"What did you do with the video?" was all Darcy asked.

Gigi was shocked and was expecting him to yell like he had last year, when they had been fighting about George.

"I broke the disc into tiny pieces and burned it in the fireplace… and then I checked everywhere for any others. You see, we have to look for him! I don't think he was looking to make money off of mine, but with Lydia's he was, so it'd make sense for him to keep a copy!"

"I see your point. Thank you… for sharing, Gigi. I'll look into that number again. Good night, Gigi. I love you.", he said, hoping to break the tension.

"I love you, too, big brother.", replied Gigi with a smile.

* * *

The next day, Gigi was doing the Domino demo and called Fitz to find out any updates on the number; she was still kind of iffy about calling Darcy. She had promised Fitz she would only text Wickham, but she called and left him a message. When he called her back, she couldn't not pick up.

"Hey, Peach!"

"Hey… George, where are you?", Gigi said with her eyes beginning to water. She hadn't spoken to him since the day he walked out of her condo with a check between his fingers.

"How are you doing, Gigi? It's been a while. I miss your pretty little face."

"George, seriously! Where are you? We need to talk."

"What does this button do?... Click for video…" *click*

"No, don't press that!"

"Oh hey, Gigi! Wow, you are as beautiful as I remember... Do you still wear that perfume I like? You know, the one with-"

"George Wickham, do you know you almost ruined her life with that website?!"

"I had nothing to do with that, the tape was stolen. I loved her- wait, what do you mean _almost_ ruined her life?"

"The website is down, George! How could you do that to her?"

"Well, that's good! Whoever stole our tape must have felt bad about it! I'm glad for her 'cause that must've been really tough…", he said with a fake smile and flaring nostrils. He was actually really angry.

"George _where are you_, so we can talk? I know that website wasn't it. I know there's more-"

"Look, I gotta go… Bye."

"George Wickham, tell me where you are! Don't hang up!"

Gigi started sobbing at the end of the call. That was so emotionally draining for her. She felt disgusted that she had once loved that man.

*Incoming call from WILLIAM DARCY*

"Gigi, did you call Wickham?"

"I'm sorry, William, don't be mad! I just-"

"No, don't apologize! You got him to download Domino. He accepted the Terms of Service…We can track him. I just got an email in regards to the unknown number."

"Really?!"

"Yes. Good job, Gigi. Now seriously, leave the rest to me."

Darcy was so excited. Finally after all this time, he could find Wickham and give him the ass-kicking he deserved.

* * *

But while Gigi and Darcy were busy talking, Wickham was researching how the website had been taken down. He emailed one of the previous owners, who emailed back almost immediately, boasting that he was now a millionaire and that some dude named Darcy bought out his company.

George was fuming.

"Fuck, fuck, FUCK! Darcy, you piece of SHIT! Ahhhhh!", he screamed.

He was kicking and punching the inside of the van he'd bought with the money from the tape. He was living in it and was hiding out until the real money would start rolling in, but apparently that would never happen now, thanks to Darcy.

He owed a load of money to some people. George was a gambler and was counting on this money to pay back his debts and to start a clean slate in a different state.

"I guess I have no other choice now…", he thought mischievously as he texted Lydia. He was going to blackmail her.

* * *

Lydia had been watching a movie with Lizzie in the living room, but had gone into the kitchen to get some snacks. Lizzie had a sudden craving for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, so Lydia had just gone to the kitchen when her phone buzzed.

"Lydia! Somebody texted you!", Lizzie yelled.

"It's Mary! Just text her back saying, 'Yea, I'd like to sleep over.'"

" 'Kay!"

But when Lizzie read the text message it wasn't Mary. It was Wickham.

_From: Babe  
_

_Lydia, you stupid bitch! Did you really think I was in love with you? I wasn't! And don't think you're safe just because you got Darcy to take the site down. _

_I still have the original video and I'm not afraid to sell it. I know some people who would definitely get off on a slutty ginger like you._

_Call me so I can tell you where to meet me so we can have a little chat. And if you tell anyone, I'll put the video up on every porn website I can think of, for free. _

_And I'll send it in an email to everyone you know. CALL ME, PEACH._

Lizzie gasped and she started tearing up. "No way! Wickham is so evil! And wait a minute… _Darcy_ took it down? Really? Why? I better call him…", whispered to herself.

She had thought many times about calling Darcy since she'd last seen him but never had the guts. Now, though, she was calling on behalf of her baby sister.

"Lizzie?", Darcy said, not even trying to conceal the surprise in voice.

"Hi, Darcy. I umm… know that it was you that took down the website and thank you sooo much for that, really-"

"It's okay.", he said matter-of-factly. _"This was what I didn't want! Who told her?!"_

"Well, I'm sure my family will find some way to make it up to you. But that's not why I'm calling. I have Lydia's phone, and Wickham just texted her! He's basically black-mailing her! He says he has an original copy of the video and I just thought to call you since you were the one who took the site down…", Lizzie replied in a hushed voice. She didn't want Lydia to hear.

"What?! That bastard! Excuse me. But it's okay! I know where he is. I can track his location with Pemberley's new Domino application."

"What the hell is that? Have I really been gone _that_ long?"

Darcy almost laughed. "It's fairly new. It was released for a beta test shortly after you'd gone. Gigi called him and-"

"Wait, what?! Gigi spoke to him? Is she okay?"

"She's fine. She just really wanted to help find him and she did. She was the one who got him to download the app. I'm headed to his location as we speak."

"Wait! Where is he? I have a couple of words I'd like to share with him!"

"He's in LA. That's quite a distance from where you are…"

"I don't care! Come on Darce, it's my baby sister we're talking about here."

"Alright. Well, what I can do is confirm his location for myself and then when you get here, we ambush him together." _"Together."_, they both thought that sounded really nice.

"Sure thing. Give me the address and I'll find a way to get there."

"Lizzie, don't be ridiculous. I'll have a car pick you up and take you to one of my private planes. I would prefer that you fly commercially, but we don't have the time for that."

"Alright. Thanks, Darcy.", she said in awe. _"There he goes again, being super nice. After he bought up a company to save my sister!", _she thought astonished.

"No problem, Lizzie. I'll text you any necessary information. I've got to call some people and make arrangements."

"Okay, bye."

"See you later, Lizzie."

Darcy couldn't believe it. He was going to see Lizzie again in a few hours. He thought he'd never see her again. Well, not never because Bing and Jane were dating, but he hadn't expected it to be so soon. And they were going to be alone together. "_The last time we were alone together…"._ He shook his head. _"Thinking about sex with Lizzie Bennet is best left to a time when you're not driving."_

* * *

Lizzie had to think of an excuse as to where she was going and a way to keep Lydia from receiving texts from Wickham. She quickly texted him back saying

To: Babe

_I'll call you in a few days. I need time to think. Why would you do this to me? Never mind; answer me when we meet face-to-face._

_Don't text me or call because if any of my family members see that you're contacting me, they'll get the police on you._

From: Babe

_Fine. But don't think too hard. Call me or I will make this tape VIRAL._

She deleted his texts and texted back Mary for Lydia. Hopefully sleeping over at Mary's will keep Wickham off of Lydia's mind.

_"What a heartless bastard!",_ Lizzie thought angrily_. "How am I gonna get out of here? Hmmm… I know! I can say Dr. Gardiner found me my last company to interview for my independent study… It's a bit of a stretch but they won't know the difference, right?"_

Lizzie set Lydia's phone down and when she got back she told her the 'good news'.

"…But it'll only be for a couple days I think. I'll be back with you before you know it! I'm kind of glad you're going to Mary's for a few days."

"Yeah, no prob. It's for school so I totally get it."

Lizzie smiled but inside she felt horrible for lying to Lydia. _"It's for her own good. If she knew what Wickham wanted to do, she would go into a major depressive state. She is just starting to get better."_

"Well, lemme go tell Jane and Mom and Dad. By the way, the sandwiches are soo good! You think you can whip me up a couple more for the road? A car is on its way to come pick me up and I would love to have some of these later on."

"Sure thing, sis!", Lydia said excitedly and hopped up to make more. She liked feeling useful.

Lizzie explained the situation to everyone. No one seemed to suspect anything. Jane probably would have, but she was currently talking to Bing on Skype.

* * *

The car arrived and she was on her way to the airport. She knew she was going in order to confront Wickham, but she couldn't help but think of Darcy. She thought about him on the plane as well. But as soon as the time to meet him again approached, she felt nervous. She absent-mindedly smoothed down her dress and hair as she waited for Darcy's plane to land.

Darcy was impatiently awaiting Lizzie's arrival. After speaking with Lizzie earlier, he had rented an inconspicuous looking car- something Wickham would never suspect him of driving- and proceeded to find the coordinates that the Domino application had provided for him. He reached the area where Wickham was, but then showed some kid a picture of Wickham and asked him if he'd seen him around. He had. He was staking out in a van in the motel parking lot. "Thanks, kid.", Darcy said and gave the kid fifty dollars.

It took everything he had not to go barging in on that van and knock Wickham out, but he knew Lizzie was on her way, so he took note of the address and left to pick her up.

When Lizzie finally walked out and he first laid eyes on her, his heart swelled and he felt whole again. He didn't realize it until then, but he had been feeling like a piece was missing since she'd left him in San Francisco.

He cleared his throat before saying, "Hello, Lizzie. You look well. I hope your flight went smoothly." What he really wanted to say was _"Lizzie you're even more beautiful than I remember and I missed you so much.",_ but obviously he wasn't going to tell her that.

Lizzie cleared her throat as well and replied, "Hi, Darcy. Thanks. It was good…". The nervousness was on full blast.

They stood there awkwardly for another few seconds before Darcy said, "Well, it's getting late so I don't think it'd be best to confront Wickham now. I know his location and I have somebody watching him in case he leaves. I… uh… booked us rooms in a nearby bed and breakfast. I didn't think it'd be wise to rent a room in the same motel where he's staying because he might recognize us… is that alright?"

"Oh. Okay, yeah that's good.", Lizzie replied. _"Separate rooms… of course. I guess he forgot about that night. It's for the best, I guess.", _Lizzie thought irritatedly as she followed Darcy to the car.

"What's this?", Lizzie said when they got to the car.

"Oh, this is a car I rented."

Lizzie burst out laughing. "Not that I'm used to driving around in Range Rovers and Rolls Royces but _William Darcy_ in a Toyota Camry?"

They fell into an easy conversation after that; with Lizzie teasing Darcy and him retaliating. Like old times; before sex complicated everything.

They were nearing the B&B, when all of a sudden Lizzie's stomach growled loudly. _"That's the second time in front of him."_, Lizzie thought as her face reddened out of embarrassment.

"Aren't they feeding you at home?", he teased.

They stopped at a nice-looking taco shop and the teasing continued. "_You_ eat tacos?"

* * *

Darcy thought they were having a nice time but then Lizzie started dozing off. He was discouraged by this and started thinking that maybe the chemistry they had before was gone now. But Lizzie was having a good time; it was just that the growing baby was sucking the life out of her and she hadn't napped today (she was too nervous on the plane).

Darcy and Lizzie got to the B&B and then he walked her to her room. This was eerily similar to their last night together. That was on both their minds but this time, it was Darcy that invited himself in.

"Lizzie, I'd like to talk about tomorrow. Do you mind if I come in for a few minutes?"

"Sure.", Lizzie said. She was too tired to care anymore.

Lizzie sat on her bed and Darcy sat in a chair at a little table in a corner of the room. He informed her that tomorrow afternoon they were going to confront Wickham for the tape and if he didn't give it up willingly, he would threaten to sue for copyright infringement.

"Sounds like a plan.", she said yawning. She was obviously tired because she had laid back on the bed , so Darcy tucked her in. He guided her sleepy body to the bed and had her lay down. He took off her shoes and covered her up. He didn't dare try to help her into her pajamas lest he come off a pervert (but come on, Darcy, you've seen each other naked already).

Lizzie was slipping quickly into dreamland but managed to mumble a "Thanks, Will." before falling into a deep and restful sleep.

Darcy smiled at the name. Nobody called him that; not even Gigi. He sighed as he looked back at her and turned off the light. Tomorrow they would face Wickham. Together.

* * *

**I knowww guyss! This is the worst filler chapter ever!  
**

**Next chapter 100% chance of her finding out she's preggers. I promise.**

**I'm not too happy with this chapter myself, so I totally understand if you guys don't like it. But it gets better!  
**


	8. This Young Lady is 'With Child'

**Warning: There's some violence in this chapter.** **But on a good note, yay they finally find out she's preggers! :D**

* * *

The next day arrived and Darcy went over to Lizzie's room to go over the plan again. She was sleepy last night and he didn't know how much she remembered. He knocked on her door close to lunch time because he didn't want to bother her too early in the morning.

Lizzie was glad he didn't show up earlier because she was puking all morning. _"Stupid tacos!",_ she thought as she got ready for the day. The tacos were not to blame, however. It was her newly sensitive stomach.

She heard a knock and went to open the door. She already knew it was going to be Darcy, so she smoothed out her dress (no way was she going to wear tight jeans with her nausea) and hair before opening the door.

"Hi, Darcy.", she said as she let him into her room.

"Hello, Lizzie. Did you sleep well?", he asked trying to mask his disappointment. She didn't remember calling him Will last night. _"Oh well."_

"Yes. Just fine, thanks. And you?". She emitted the fact that she spent the last couple of hours throwing up.

"Fine as well.", he lied. He tossed and turned for a majority of the night. He couldn't get the fact that she was only one room away from him out of his head.

They discussed confronting Wickham and then Darcy offered to get lunch before heading out, but Lizzie rejected the invitation. He'd taken it as a sign that she didn't really want to hang out with him. Really, she just didn't want to risk throwing up again.

He went down and ate some of the lunch the B&B had and then went to get Lizzie. It was now show time.

* * *

Darcy parked his inconspicuous car near the motel where Wickham's van was stationed. They did a little bit of staking out and then saw him exit the van.

"Let's ambush him now.", Darcy said as he exited the car.

They made their way towards Wickham and stopped him on his way inside the motel.

"George! We want to speak to you.", Darcy said to get Wickham's attention.

He turned around and chuckled at the pair.

"Well, well, well! If it isn't Darcy and Lizzie… What are you two doing in these parts?", he asked with a sadistic smile.

"We're here about Lydia, you bastard! How dare you do that to my sister?!", Lizzie said angrily.

"Whoa, whoa! I didn't do anything she didn't want me to, okay? She was very willing and _very _vocal while we were making the tape."

"George, please. You're upsetting Lizzie.", Darcy intervened. He was trying to keep a cool head since they were in public and was leading the group to the side of the motel so their conversation could be a little more private.

"Awww! I'm upsetting Lizzie? What are you now? Her boyfriend?", he asked tauntingly. Then he laughed to himself and said, "Yeah right! I tried to get in her pants and failed miserably. If I couldn't do it, I doubt you could."

Lizzie was so angry at his cockiness and she got up real close to his face and said, "Actually, _Will_ and I slept together not too long ago and it was easily the best sex I've ever had! I doubt you could've done a better job!"

Darcy was in shock. His jaw was practically on the floor and his face was reddening.

Wickham was surprised too and believed it after seeing Darcy's reaction. They had grown up together and they knew all of each other's mannerisms and tell-tale signs, so he knew that if it had been a lie, he would've started nodding in agreement instead of reddening.

After a few seconds, Wickham collected himself and retorted, "Why don't you compare notes with your sister?".

Lizzie's first reaction was to slap him hard.

Wickham was not a woman beater. He was cruel and manipulative, but he had never had to use physical force to get what he wanted. This wasn't his finest moment, though, and he was in a foul mood over losing the chance to make money off the tape and pay off his debts, so he hit Lizzie back.

Darcy had been watching their volatile exchange with thinning patience but that was the last straw. Wickham struck Lizzie after she slapped him and Darcy reacted.

Darcy punched Wickham square in the jaw and knocked him back. Wickham landed flat on his back didn't stay there long. As Darcy tended to Lizzie, asking her if she was alright and checking her face ever so tenderly, Wickham struck from behind. He had always been an opportunist; so why not attack Darcy while he had his back turned?

He punched Darcy really hard on his side, causing him double over.

"Will!", Lizzie exclaimed worriedly.

_"Hmm, it seems she only calls me that when she's not thinking properly…",_ Darcy thought to himself as he caught his breath. Thinking about Lizzie made the punch not hurt as much.

"Lizzie, why don't you go back to the car? This obviously didn't turn out as planned. I'll handle it from here."

"What are you gonna do?", Lizzie asked with concern.

"We are going to fight. This has been meaning to happen for years now. We always were too competitive."

Lizzie nodded and left the little alley they had entered. On her way out, though, she picked up some keys she had seen Wickham drop.

* * *

That's the only reason she had agreed to go. Wickham's keys had fallen from his pocket when he fell to the ground from Darcy's initial punch and she was going to go open his van and search for the copy of Lydia's tape. As soon as she finds it, she is going to destroy it and go help Darcy.

She got to the van and opened the side door. She entered and closed the door behind her. She searched frantically, trying not to mess too much up. She didn't want Wickham to know the tape was missing until they were long gone.

Meanwhile, Darcy and Wickham had some unfinished business. After Lizzie left, Darcy had cracked his knuckles and said, "Bring it on, George."

Wickham tried to punch Darcy's face but missed and Darcy took that opportunity to punch Wickham again. This time he drew some blood from Wickham's mouth.

"Ohhhh, so you've toughened up since we last spoke… Alright.", said Wickham before charging at Darcy again.

Darcy stopped Wickham's punches but couldn't avoid a kick to the shin. What a low blow. But he should've seen that coming; Wickham doesn't fight fair.

In the van, Lizzie found a digital camera with an SD card inside. She checked the camera and saw various pictures of Lydia and Wickham making out in bed. Then she saw a video. She clicked the play button and saw Lydia covered in blankets on a bed that seemed to be directly across from the camera.

"You ready babe?", said Wickham off-camera.

Lydia looked really nervous but nodded yes.

Then, Wickham's bare bottom made its way on-screen and Lizzie could watch no more. That was all the confirmation she needed to conclude that this was the raw footage of Lydia's tape.

She felt so angry and then she felt like throwing up again. Lydia's uncertain facial expression in the camera wouldn't leave her mind_. "If only I had been there for her…"_, she started to beat herself up. But then she snapped out of it. She began looking around again and didn't find any hardcopies of the tape, so she exited the van with the memory card in hand and prayed that he didn't have any others.

* * *

Darcy and Wickham had been fighting for at least 15 minutes; throwing punches back and forth when finally, it seemed as if Darcy's stamina had beat Wickham's. Wickham hadn't swum in months and he was a little out of shape.

As Lizzie got close to the little alley, she saw Darcy had straddled Wickham and was about to punch him.

"This one is for Lydia, you sick bastard!"

*PUNCH*

"This one is for Lizzie! How dare you put your hands on her?"

*PUNCH*

"If you ever put your hands on her again, you'll have me to deal with!"

*PUNCH*

"And this one… This one is for Gigi you, sadistic, life-ruining piece of shit!"

*SUPER HARD PUNCH*

"You broke my sister's heart and you tore our relationship apart! Gigi wouldn't speak a kind word to me for months! She blamed me for your deception and I will never forgive you, George Wickham!"

*FINAL PUNCH*

That was the most cathartic thing Darcy had ever experienced. He had been feeling that pent-up aggression towards Wickham since the fiasco with Gigi and now he felt relief.

Lizzie saw the whole thing and was taken aback. She didn't know he had been feeling like that. He had punched Wickham for her honor and for the honor of her baby sister and that meant a lot to her. Not that she condoned violence, but Wickham wouldn't understand any other way. To deal with him legally, they'd have to involve Lydia and she was just starting to heal. They handled this vigilante-style. And since the copy of the tape was legally property of Novelty Exposures, Wickham couldn't report the copy stolen.

Darcy got up and turned around to find Lizzie smiling at him.

"I'm sorry you had to witness that, Lizzie... Do you mind if we go back to the bed and breakfast? I'm exhausted."

"Sure. By the way, that asshole deserved every punch.", she replied looking back at Wickham, who was trying to get up from the floor.

On the way back, Lizzie told him she found the memory card with the video on it and that she was going to destroy it.

* * *

When they got back to the B&B, Darcy intended to drop Lizzie off at her door and then go back to his room and rest, but Lizzie didn't let him.

"Dar-, I mean William, I can't leave you alone like this. Your face is swelling up…", she said as she touched his cheek.

He winced and she said, "Yeah, you're definitely not going anywhere. Come here."

She opened the door and pushed him toward a chair.

"I think I saw a first aid kit around here somewhere…", Lizzie said while scavenging around in the bathroom. "Ahh here we are."

She returned with it and started to tend to Darcy's facial wounds. He was kind of holding his side and then Lizzie remembered he got punched there.

"Hey Will, let me see your side."

"No, it's okay, I'm fine-"

But Lizzie wasn't having any of that. She began removing Darcy's button-up shirt.

Darcy chuckled to himself as he stared at Lizzie taking off his shirt.

"What's so funny?", asked Lizzie after removing his shirt. He wasn't wearing an undershirt this time around.

"It's just that… well, this is a very similar situation to the last time we saw each other…"

Lizzie started laughing once she realized what he meant.

"Yeah, you're right. Except this time around there's no alcohol to cloud our judgment.", Lizzie said with a nervous laugh. She was being defensive. She didn't want him to think he'd hurt her feelings or anything.

Darcy would have just let it rest but he remembered what she said in front of Wickham, so he decided now would be the best time to bring it up.

"The alcohol didn't cloud my judgment. It just made it easier to do what I had dreamed of doing for months…", he confessed. He decided to put it all on the table. He felt a huge emotional load was off his shoulders now and he didn't want to hold anything back anymore.

"Really? Well then… me too." She said as she finished tending to his side.

Lizzie was usually a woman of words but right now, that was all she could muster.

She started to feel light-headed and almost fell but Darcy caught her. She was in his arms and on his lap. He was shirtless and she was breathless and before they knew it, they were kissing.

At first, passionately, but then more softly due to Darcy's injuries. They were at it for a while and then Lizzie's stomach growled, causing them to burst out laughing.

"Seriously, Lizzie?", Darcy asked helping her off his lap.

"I didn't eat lunch… I was scared to throw up. "

"Wait, are you ill? Do you need to go to a doctor?"

"No, it's alright. I think it was the tacos or something."

"Oh ok. I apologize. I selected the taco shop."

"It's okay. I'm actually starving right now… but look at the time. Isn't my flight soon?"

"Yes it is. But it's okay. I can postpone it... Actually, I'd like to accompany you if that's alright. I don't feel right letting you go alone."

"That's perfectly fine with me.", she said as she gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

"So where would you like to eat?", Darcy asked as they headed towards the door. He was tired but Lizzie had rejuvenated him.

* * *

While they waited for the plane at the airport terminal, Darcy grabbed Lizzie's hand and said, "I'm glad we're flying commercial. You don't know how worried I was to have you fly on the jet the other day."

"I would have been terrified, but my mind was focused on you the whole time, actually.", Lizzie confessed. "Do you often fly on jets?"

"I try my best to board scheduled flights. I'm secretly afraid of small planes. Statistics indicate that accidents are more likely on smaller planes and my uncle died in one many years ago…"

"Really? I'm so sorry! Promise me you'll do your best to never board one again.", Lizzie demanded. She couldn't bare to lose him like that; not when they finally were united.

"Yes, it was my uncle; Aunt Catherine's husband. After his death, she became really bitter. She hasn't always been so uppity… And yes. I promise to do my best to avoid jets from now on; especially now that I have you to look forward to."

***Now boarding Flight 347***

* * *

They got up and boarded the plane, hand in hand. They were the only ones in first class so they could talk without being overheard. They talked about _everything_.

He told how happy he'd been when he saw her at Pemberley and that he was glad she liked his company and his home. Lizzie mentioned that she'd been feeling something for him for awhile now and he said his feelings had never fled; that they'd only gotten stronger after getting to know her better.

Darcy, being the competitive man that he was, asked Lizzie if what she told Wickham was true. Lizzie blushed and said, "I can't believe I actually said that. But I was so mad! And yes. It's true! I have never felt anything even remotely close to how you made me feel and I don't regret it at all."

Darcy felt a surge of masculine pride and then suddenly kissed Lizzie.

She didn't know if it was being around him or what, but she was getting sexually aroused really easily. Even the slightest touch from him made her really excited and it was kind of annoying. She never thought she'd be the kind of person to want sex all the time, like a dog in heat. But it wasn't just being around Darcy; it was her hormones. The pregnancy was affecting her body in many different ways and so far it had been some weight gain, sensitive nose, sensitive stomach, nausea, and now raging hormones.

They made out on the plane and talked for the whole trip, well, in between Lizzie's frequent bathroom breaks. "It must be all the water I drank while we were eating.", she commented as she sat down next to Darcy.

A car picked them up and took them to Lizzie's house. When they got to her door step, Lizzie kissed Darcy some more and he had to pull away. Lizzie was really embarrassed and said, "Sorry. I don't know what's gotten into me. I'm not usually like this, I promise. You must think I'm some sex-crazed lunatic.", she joked.

"No need to apologize. I don't mind at all. And if it were up to me, we could stand here all night. But you've got to get some rest and I've got to return to Pemberley tomorrow. I've been neglecting the company for far too long."

"Yeah, yeah.", Lizzie said, faking a pout.

Darcy went in for one last kiss and then said, "So…what are going call this? It's perfectly fine if you don't want to label us just yet, but I need some clarification…".

Lizzie started playing with the buttons on his shirt and then looked up at him and said, "How about I call you my boyfriend… and you call me your girlfriend? We can continue dating and learning more about each other now. Does that sound good?"

Darcy just nodded yes. He was ecstatic.

He gave Lizzie a really tight hug, making her newly sensitive breasts press up against his chest. She pulled away reluctantly before she could get any more aroused and said, "See ya later, boyfriend…".

He smiled and said, "I'll be returning home really early in the morning so I won't be able to see you again before I leave. But you can call me whenever you like. Farewell, my beautiful girlfriend."

He kissed the back of her hand and walked back to the waiting car.

Lizzie sighed. _"What the hell is up with me?! I've never felt like this about a guy. And I've never been this horny in my life! I feel like I'm going to burst if I don't have sex with him soon."_, she thought angrily as she climbed up the stairs. _"Either Will and I have insane chemistry or he spiked my food in LA."_

* * *

When she got to her room, Lydia was waiting for her. She jumped off the bed and hugged Lizzie super hard.

"Oh, Lizzie! Thank you, thank you, thank you!", she said crying.

"What's wrong?", Lizzie asked worriedly. Lydia hadn't cried in a while.

"I know what you and Darcy did! George texted me that you guys stole his copy of the tape and now he can't blackmail me! I had no idea he was planning on doing this to me… how did you know?"

Lizzie told her about the texts and everything that went down in LA. She never destroyed the memory card; she had gotten distracted by Darcy's wounds. She still had it.

She gave it to Lydia and they both walked downstairs and watched as Lydia threw it in the fireplace and it burned.

Jane had gone out with their father and their mom was playing Bingo at the neighbor's house, so Lydia and Lizzie had the house all to themselves. They sock-slid all over the place and stopped only when Lizzie felt like she was going to throw up.

* * *

The next day arrived and Lizzie was going to make a video about something. She didn't know what just yet but she was going to have to upload _something_. It had been a while since she uploaded her last video.

Just then Jane burst into the den and said, "AHHHH! Lizzie! I just got a call from New York! The fashion company I did a phone interview with a couple weeks ago wants to hire me! They're going to pay for my flight and my rent! Lizzie!".

Lizzie got up and was jumping up and down excitedly with Jane until she felt a little dizzy and stopped.

"That's great, Janie! Congrats! Did you tell Mom and Dad? And Bing?!"

"No, not yet. I just got the call now. I'm kind of scared to tell Bing, though. We haven't seen much of each other since I came back home. Imagine being on the other side of the country…"

"It's gonna work out, Jane. You told me if things are meant to happen, they will."

Well, now she had footage for her video.

She and Darcy texted each other throughout the day. Neither one had decided to tell anyone about their relationship. Nobody even knows they went to the theater together, except Gigi. She spoke to Dr. Gardiner and she decided she was going to go back to Pemberley to finish her independent study.

* * *

The next day, Bing showed up at their door, bright and early.

"Why, Bing, dear! What a pleasant surprise!", Mrs. Bennet said as she answered the door. Everyone came downstairs to see what all the commotion was about.

Bing had shown up to tell Jane that he wanted to go to New York with her.

"But Bing, then everyone will know…"

"I know, but I don't care anymore. I've been apart from you for too long and New York is a great place for me to make a name for myself."

"Bing, your family-"

"I've already spoken with them. After you called me and told me you got an offer in New York, I called my parents and told them I had dropped out of med school months ago. They were furious and even threatened to disown me. But that's okay. When I make a name for myself in New York, they'll understand why I did what I did."

"So, you're really coming with me?"

"Yes! I love you, Jane Bennet, and there is no way I'm letting you get away."

They kissed and the whole family cheered.

"You better take good care of my Jane. She's my first child, you know. I'll hunt you down if anything happens to her.", said Mr. Bennet jokingly.

Lizzie got all emotional. One of her best friends was leaving her and their PDA made her miss Darcy like mad.

She announced there, "I'm going back to San Francisco."

No one really questioned her. She said she was going to finish up her independent study over there because she was missing some information.

Lydia's face fell when she heard that. Now both her sisters were going to leave her. Lizzie noticed and suggested, "Why don't you come with me for a while?"

Lydia beamed.

They had a celebratory breakfast and then everyone started packing.

Lizzie told Darcy about going back and bringing Lydia along and he was pleased. "She and Gigi will get along perfectly.", he noted.

* * *

Jane, Lydia, and Lizzie all left a few days later. Jane and Bing left together for New York while Lizzie and Lydia traveled to San Fran first class. Darcy paid for Lizzie and Lydia's airfare but no one knew. Everyone thought Dr. Gardiner's scholarship was footing the bill.

A car picked them up and took them to the house where Lizzie was staying before. Memories came flooding back into Lizzie's brain as she passed the living room couch and then as she entered her bedroom. "No way am I going to get a good night's sleep in here tonight.", she thought as she recalled her last night in that room.

It was Monday the next day and Lizzie had to return to Pemberley. She and Lydia commuted to Pemberley and were greeted by Gigi and Darcy.

"Hi!", was all Gigi said before she ran to Lydia and gave her a huge hug.

_"Yup. Best friends in the making right there._", Lizzie thought as she saw them interact.

Then her attention switched to her man. He was standing there looking as handsome as ever.

They were giving each other googley-eyes, when all of a sudden Lydia gave Darcy a hug. He was startled at first but then he hugged her back.

"Thank you, Darce.", was all she said before Gigi dragged away for a tour of Pemberley Digital.

"Lizzie, may I have a word with you in my office? It's about your independent study…", he said with a mischievous smile.

"Sure thing.", she said smiling back.

* * *

They got to Darcy's office and locked the door. They were all over each other in a matter of seconds. They hadn't seen each in over a week and missed each other ardently. When lunchtime rolled around, Gigi volunteered to take Lydia so that Darcy and Lizzie could be alone. They went to Lizzie's place because it was closer.

Lizzie had finally gotten the sex her body had been craving. It was even better than their first time together. Darcy didn't know if his memory was failing him, but it seemed to him that Lizzie's boobs had gotten a little bigger since he last saw them. _"Maybe it's due to the bit of weight she's gained. I'm not complaining though…",_ he thought as he admired Lizzie's slightly fuller figure as she undressed.

They continued this for the entire week. Gigi would kidnap Lydia while Darcy and Lizzie would have 'lunch'. What's funny about this is that they were having protected sex the whole week. Darcy made sure to come prepared. It's too late for that now, guys!

Fitz noticed how happy Darcy was but he attributed that to Lizzie's presence alone, not to the fact that they were getting together everyday. Gigi had never told Fitz about the clues she found when she went to Lizzie's place. She felt more allegiance to her brother in that moment.

When the week was over, the Darcys invited the Bennet girls over to their house for the weekend. It was here that Lydia noticed how different Lizzie acted with Darcy. She'd never seen her sister act so flirty before.

That Saturday afternoon was lots of fun for the four of them, but then Lizzie fell ill and fainted. They were playing tennis, older siblings vs younger siblings, when Lizzie got woozy and then fell. Luckily, Darcy wasn't too far and he caught her. She wasn't responding when they called her name so Darcy sent for their medic (their estate had medical facilities on the grounds).

He carried Lizzie up to the room given to her last time, and placed her carefully on the bed. The medic arrived and asked for some privacy. Lydia stayed with Lizzie while she was being examined.

Gigi stood with her brother outside, trying to calm him down.

"Chill, William. She probably just got dehydrated or something."

* * *

Inside, the medic finished her initial check-up and said, "Well, she should be fine. She just a little dehydrated and overheated from the exercise, in my opinion. This is not uncommon in women with her condition. I used to see this all the time when I worked in the hospital and it happened to me with all of my children."

She was hooking an IV with fluids to Lizzie's arm so she could rehydrate. She also turned on the ceiling fan to get some air circulating.

Lydia was confused. "What condition?"

The old medic smiled and said, "Well, I hope I didn't spoil the surprise, but I know a pregnant woman when I see one. This young lady is with child."

Lydia said, "WHAT?! That's impossible!"

The medic laughed and said, "I'll bring some pregnancy tests for you to confirm. Though I am 99% sure just by looking at her."

She walked out of the room and said to Darcy, "She will be just fine. Let her nap for a while to regain her strength. I'll send up a little care package from the infirmary. I suggest that you two stay out here and leave her with the sister. Too many people in there won't help her cool down any quicker."

Darcy and Gigi nodded in agreement. They trusted Dr. Nancy. She treated them when they were kids.

* * *

About 15 minutes later, a messenger arrived with a little duffel bag. Lydia took it and checked inside. There were cold Gatorades of different flavors, 4 expensive pregnancy tests, different fruit in a ziploc bag, and a bundle of multivitamins.

_"No way. This has to be a mistake, right?_", Lydia thought. She was freaking out. She'd always been the one everyone thought would have a baby out of wedlock, but now it was Lizzie?

Lizzie finally began to wake up and Lydia rushed over.

"What happened?", Lizzie said with a groggy voice.

"You fainted while we were playing tennis, sis. No biggie. You're fine…", Lydia said. She didn't know if her sister knew she was pregnant, so she didn't want to shock her while she was still kind of weak. She made her drink a bottle of Gatorade with a multivitamin and eat some of the fruit.

When she was feeling much better, Lydia said, "So… umm… Lizzie?"

"Yea, Lyds?"

"The doctor that you checked you out kinda sorta said that your fainting may have been a result of you… being… um… preggers…".

"What?! No way. That's not possible!... Well it is possible but not likely…", she said to herself.

Lydia sat next to Lizzie with her mouth wide open in surprise.

"Whatttt! Give me the deets!"

Lizzie sighed and for the first time revealed that she and Darcy had gone on a date and then had sex the day Lydia's tape was revealed, which is why it took so long to contact her. She also revealed that they'd been getting together all this week and that they were now dating.

"Lizzie! You sly fox!", Lydia said jokingly.

Lizzie was glad to see Lydia's old sense of humor was returning.

"It feels good to finally tell somebody! You're the only one that knows, Lydia. Jane or Charlotte don't know anything yet…"

Lydia felt very special.

"Look, the doc secretly sent up some pregnancy tests while you were sleeping… She seemed pretty sure you were…"

"I'll take them. I'm pretty sure I'm not. I mean, we used protection every single time."

Darcy and Gigi had cleaned up and were waiting downstairs for Lydia to tell them Lizzie had woken up.

"Relax, big brother! She's fine! Just tired, is all. I mean, she has been getting lots exercise lately, hasn't she? Slow your roll, bro.", Gigi teased.

Darcy blushed. "How did you know?"

Gigi explained about the condition in which she found Lizzie's place when she was sent to pack up her stuff. And the lone sock she found.

* * *

Lizzie peed on the pregnancy tests with no trouble. She did them all together. She had enough urine to go around. She had been peeing a lot more often for almost the last month.

While she waited for the results of the tests, she got to thinking about when her last period had been. She couldn't remember. _"But that was just stress from Lydia's situation, I'm sure."_

After time was up, she looked at the results of all the pregnancy tests. They were all positive.

"Holy crap!"

Lydia was waiting outside the door and asked, "Hey, Lizzie, are you okay?"

Lizzie exited the bathroom and put the four pregnancy tests in a big Ziploc bag that the fruit were in.

She handed the bag to Lydia and Lydia saw all were positive.

* * *

Lizzie began freaking out. She started crying and then the cries turned to sobs and then she was just bawling. She was not prepared for a baby.

"I haven't even graduated grad school yet! I'm going to walk across the stage with a baby bump! I'm not ready to be a mom…", she thought as she weeped.

Darcy and Gigi were coming up the stairs because he thought Lizzie was taking too long to wake up. They heard crying and ran towards Lizzie's room.

Lizzie was crying on Lydia's shoulders and then Darcy asked, "Lizzie. What's wrong?"

She held out the Ziploc bag, which Darcy took. He stared at it for a few seconds before realizing what they were. Gigi gasped.

Darcy's face paled and when Lizzie saw his reaction she started crying even more.

"This is not how it's supposed to go! We're supposed to date first and then get pregnant! Not the other way around!", she cried.

* * *

**So there we have it, folks! The beans have officially been spilled! Lol.  
**

**How do you think Darcy will react to an out-of-wedlock love child?**

**Were you guys satisfied with the way they found out? 'Cause this is basically the climax of the story and I want to know if you guys liked it!**

**In the coming chapters everyone finds out, so get ready for different reactions!**


	9. Lizzie and Darcy Visit the Doctor

**Thanks to FF user SOLYAHU for inspiring some of this chapter!**

* * *

Darcy was still in shock for a few more seconds before finally coming back to reality. He acknowledged Lizzie's tears and wanted to comfort her.

"Gigi... Lydia? Would you girls mind leaving Lizzie and I alone for a little bit?"

The girls exited the room quickly and quietly; heading down to the living room to talk about what had just occurred.

"Whoa...", was all Lydia could say.

"We're going to be aunts!", Gigi said excitedly, the shock subsiding and the happiness bubbling.

Meanwhile, back in Lizzie's room, Darcy had made his way over to Lizzie and just hugged her tight. Neither said anything for a few minutes. But it was Lizzie that broke the silence.

"I have no idea how this happened! Honestly!"

"Whoa, Lizzie, nobody is blaming you! There's always risks with sex, even if you use protection. I guess the condom tore or something that night back at your place. Because you can't possibly be pregnant from our recent time together, can you?"

"No, you're right. It had to be that night... I can't believe this!"

"Neither of us was expecting this, but now there's nothing we can do about it. We're both adults and financial stability isn't an issue. There's no reason why we shouldn't raise this baby.", Darcy said with more confidence than he felt. He was trying to put Lizzie at ease.

"Yeah, you're right. We have to accept our responsibilities. There's no reason why this kid shouldn't grow up happy.", Lizzie agreed. The fact that Darcy was rich put her at ease big time. Not that it was something she looked for in the father of her children, but she did have a sense of relief that the kid would never be lacking in the most basic of necessities.

"I'm going to call my trusted manager of house staff, Mrs. Reynolds. You didn't meet her last time because I give her weekends off. I can trust her with this very sensitive information. She'll arrange a doctor's appointment ASAP."

"Thanks, William. I'm still not used to the fact that I'm pregnant... but it feels good to know that I'm not alone."

"How could you possibly think I wouldn't be involved? That baby is half Darcy, too. And what kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't stick around?", he joked. He knew he should be taking this more seriously, but right now he was just glad Lizzie had stopped crying.

Lizzie smiled and then went in for another hug.

Lizzie and Darcy made their way downstairs, hand in hand. Gigi and Lydia were relieved to see that things were still good between them.

"Gigi, would you mind entertaining Lydia for a couple of hours? Lizzie and I are going to go get her checked out to make sure everything is alright."

Gigi nodded yes and she and Lydia watched as the couple left the house together.

* * *

Lizzie had blood drawn and was laying on a cot, awaiting the ultrasound technician. She and Darcy were arguing about Lizzie paying half of whatever this was costing him, when in walked the lady.

"Are you ready for your ultrasound?"

Lizzie nodded yes and then looked over at Darcy. He closed the space between them in a couple of strides and held her hand.

Lizzie shivered when the lady squirted the ultrasound gel on her belly.

"Sorry about that! It's kind of cold sometimes."

Next, she began running the sensor on Lizzie's belly while looking at the screen. Lizzie and Darcy looked at the screen too but didn't know what they were supposed to be looking for.

"Aha! Here we are! Almost couldn't see it. That little bean-shaped creature right there is your baby."

Darcy and Lizzie were very matter-of-fact about the baby before, speaking about it as it if we're an abstract idea. But now there was concrete proof that it existed. The fact that that little spot would grow into a full-blown baby inside of Lizzie's womb, overwhelmed both parents. Lizzie teared up and Darcy squeezed her hand a little tighter. Their uncertainty dissipated and they began to accept the inevitable arrival of their unborn child.

The lady turned a knob on the machine and then moved the sensor around some more. "And this, folks, is your baby's heart beat. Judging by the beat and the size, I'd say your about nine weeks along, give or take a few days."

Lizzie thought that the sound of their baby's heartbeat was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard.

"Is it supposed to sound like that?", Darcy asked with concern.

"Yes. That's perfectly normal. Their heartbeats are really rapid early on.", the lady replied smiling. "Would you like a snapshot of the baby?"

Both Lizzie and Darcy said "Yes, please!" at the same time and then laughed.

As they waited for the pictures, a nurse walked in and announced that Lizzie's blood work revealed everything was fine and that all hormone levels were within range for her stage of pregnancy. "You're doing perfectly fine so far. Unfortunately, there's still a chance of a miscarriage. The risk is much less likely after you've entered your second trimester, which will be after you've reached three months. According to the size of your baby, you're about nine weeks. So in another 3-4 weeks you'll be in the clear. We've scheduled you for another appointment at that time."

"Can I work until then? I sit at a desk. There's very minimal exercise.", Lizzie asked, wondering if the baby would push back her independent study and in turn, her graduation.

"Yes. Go about your life as you normally would. Just be a little more careful. Take prenatal vitamins. Don't do extreme exercise and don't put yourself at risk of falling. Things like that. Your baby is doing fine and there's no need to put you on bed rest."

"Oh okay.", Lizzie said with relief. She wanted to at least have her degree before she gave birth.

Darcy cleared his throat and asked, "And the gender of the baby? When can we find out?".

"Probably a couple weeks after your next visit. We have to give the baby time to develop its organs in order to be sure. Any more questions before we finish up here?"

The couple said no and thanked the nurse.

They drove home in silence, each preoccupied with their own thoughts of what the future held for them. Lizzie kept staring at the ultrasound snapshot and was overjoyed. She couldn't believe that a few hours ago she had been sad at the fact that she was carrying a baby inside her. Darcy's thoughts weren't too different. He was excited- scared out of his mind- but excited.

When they arrived at Darcy's, he turned off the car and turned to Lizzie. He grabbed her hands and said, "I know this isn't how you pictured having your first child and trust me, I never even considered a scenario such as ours, but we're going to be parents. And I know we don't know each as well as we should, but I just want to say that I don't regret this. I think we're going to work out just fine."

Lizzie smiled and then leaned in to kiss Darcy. It was meant to be a sweet kiss to convey thanks and reassurance, but it quickly evolved into something much more passionate. This passion, however, was not fueled by Lizzie's erratic libido. It was fueled by Darcy and Lizzie's repressed feelings for one another. Neither wanted to say the L-word because of the fact that their relationship was new and they really didn't know much about each other. But the baby would bring its parents closer in the seven months left until it became the center of their worlds.

After a while, they stopped, and Darcy helped Lizzie out of the car. "Let's go show Lydia and Gigi their niece or nephew.", Lizzie said as Darcy opened the front door for her.

* * *

Later that night, Lydia climbed into bed with Lizzie. She was still going to stay in the room Darcy had given her.

"Sis, why are you still in here? I thought you were gonna go stay with Darceface? Actually, I would think you'd be packing up your stuff that we have at the house you're sitting for so you can come stay over here..."

"No. I'd rather not... We just started dating. I mean sure, I'm pregnant with his kid, but this bun is staying the oven for another seven months and I don't wan to make any rash decisions..."

"Hmm. Okay, I guess. But if it were me, I'd be cuddling up with my rich baby-daddy right about now..."

Lizzie hit Lydia with a pillow playfully.

"Fine, fine I give up, Lizzie... So umm... when are you planning on telling people? Jane and Charlotte... and our parents?!

"Ughhh... don't remind me! I wonder what they're going to think of me..."

"Well, we're your family so were gonna support you no matter what. I already know mom will be ecstatic..."

Lizzie groaned and just imagined having these conversations with her family.

* * *

Darcy was also having a sibling interrogation in his bedroom. Gigi and Lydia seemed to have planned their conversations.

"So, big brother... why is Lizzie not in here. It's none of my business but I was just wondering...".

"Gigi, you aren't subtle at all.", he chuckled. "But to answer your question: because she and I are taking things slowly."

"Ugh! There's not much worse that could happen..." and then she added under her breath, _"...she's already pregnant..."._

"Gigi!"

"What? It's true!"

Their conversation ended up like Lizzie and Lydia's and Gigi went off to bed unsatisfied.

* * *

The next day was Sunday and Lizzie woke up super early; she couldn't sleep. It seems Darcy also had trouble sleeping because it was 4:30am and they bumped into each other in the kitchen.

"What are you doing up so early?", they both asked simultaneously and started laughing.

"Well, I don't know about you, but with news this big, I couldn't help but think about it all night. All I could think about is this baby and then Lydia brought something up earlier that had me thinking..."

"What is it?"

"Well, Will, we've got to tell my parents! I mean, I'd rather tell them now instead of later when I can't hide it anymore. I don't know how everyone is going to react but I need to get it out of the way soon. Maybe we can make a trip to my parent's house next weekend?"

"Yeah, you're right. That sounds like a plan. And I don't know how I'm going to explain this to Bing and Fitz...maybe during work this week...".

"And I to Charlotte and Jane...".

"Don't worry, baby. We have amazing people in our lives, so I'm sure they'll come around eventually."

"_Did he just call me baby?_", Lizzie thought as her face betrayed her and she smiled a huge smile.

Lizzie didn't want to make a big deal about it, since that was something perfectly normal between boyfriends and girlfriends and he would probably get embarrassed that she called him out on it.

"Yeah, you're right... _babe_.", Lizzie said as she closed the gap between them and began playing with the rope of his untied silk sleeping robe.

Darcy put his hands on her waist and slowly moved them underneath her tank top and to her lower belly, where their baby was growing.

Darcy kissed Lizzie and she reciprocated eagerly. They eventually made it from the kitchen to Darcy's bed, where they made love as gently as their desire would allow (at Darcy's insistence, for he didn't want to hurt the baby) with slow motions and pleasant caresses. They enjoyed the fact that contraception is no longer a necessity and slept skin-to-skin and cuddled in each others arms, like the night that their child was conceived. Gigi and Lydia got their wish after all.

* * *

**I'm sorry to break up the chapters like this but I'm going to do next chapter Fitz and Mr./Mrs. Bennet's reactions. And the one after that will be Jane, Bing, and Charlotte's reactions.**

**I'm terribly sorry if anybody was waiting! But I hope you enjoyed this one!**


	10. Darcy Does Baby Research

Nine weeks going on ten and Lizzie could barely see a difference. _"I mean, sure I have a bit more of a muffin top and I now always look like I've had a big meal… and my bra seems to be a little tighter… but shouldn't I look more, I don't know… pregnant?", _Lizzie thought to herself as she examined her body in the mirror before getting dressed before work.

At Lizzie's insistence, she and Lydia had been brought back to her place Sunday night after a lovely dinner with the Darcys. They enjoyed spending time in each other's company and took advantages of all the perks that come along with being in an exclusive relationship with someone.

Lydia was eating some cereal when Lizzie finally came out dressed. She was wearing black slacks and a top that didn't hug her belly. She wanted absolutely no one at Pemberley Digital to know she was pregnant, lest they find out who her baby daddy is. Also, she didn't want anyone to know before she told her family.

"Lydia do I look different to you? Like, can you tell I'm pregnant?", Lizzie asked worriedly. Now that she knew she was pregnant, she felt like she had a big neon sign pointing to her stomach.

"Not really. I think we all gained a little weight with mom's cooking during… well, you know- that month that we were all home eating mom's consolation meals. So I wouldn't have thought anything of it. Don't worry, Lizzie. Nobody will notice. Just don't stare at your stomach and don't rub it and stuff and you should be totes fine.", Lydia said reassuringly.

Lizzie sighed in relief and asked, "Are you ready to go? I'm skipping breakfast for right now- I think if I eat anything I'll just puke it back up."

* * *

Darcy awoke slightly annoyed at the fact that Lizzie wasn't by his side. He understood the newness of their relationship along with news of a baby on the way was more than enough to warrant 'taking it slow', but still he longed for the day she would agree to finally move in with him. He hadn't had a chance to ask her because before he could even try, she was laying down rules.

He and Gigi talked baby talk all the way to work and it reminded him that he knew absolutely nothing about a developing baby or how to take care of one after its birth. _"I will have to order some baby books and videos online. For the mean time, Google will have to do for basic information."_, he thought as he parked in the VIP parking at Pemberley's parking garage.

Gigi was a ball of excited energy and she felt stir-crazy because she had no one to talk to it about until Lizzie and Lydia arrived. She didn't want to pressure her brother, but Gigi desperately wanted for him to tell Fitz so they could fangirl together about the unborn child. Gigi must have been putting out extremely good vibes to the universe because lately, a lot of her desires have been coming true, and this one would as well.

Lizzie and Darcy decided yesterday that it would be best for them not to spend so much time around each other at Pemberley, so he had plenty of free time to complete the task he set for himself earlier that morning. In between emails and phone meetings with foreign investors, Darcy was on the internet shopping for baby material. He bought a couple hundred dollars worth of books and movies and instructional videos before his lunch break arrived. He wanted to be absolutely sure he was the best (and most prepared) father he could be. There was one book titled, _'Pregnant Sex=The Best Sex'_, for which he very interestedly read the brief description. _"It won't harm the baby? Hmm… must conduct further research to be sure…"_, he decided as he added the book to the online shopping cart.

He scrolled past another book titled '_Baby and Me: Daddy's Guide to Creating an Unbreakable Bond from Day 1'_ and the sudden thought that his social awkwardness and difficulty reading social cues would make it challenging for the child to love him made his throat dry. He quickly added it to his shopping cart and then headed to the water cooler in the break room to have a drink. He had a stocked mini fridge in his office but he wanted to walk around and work off the nervous energy.

* * *

Fitz poked his head into Darcy's office, as was his habit, and when he saw Darcy wasn't there, he let himself in and walked to Darcy's desk. He sat down in one of the comfy seats in front of the large mahogany workspace, but then decided he'd rather annoy Darcy by sitting in his chair behind the desk. Fitz made himself comfortable and propped his legs up on the table.

_"If Darcy doesn't at least grimace at this, then Lizzie's got him totally whipped. As if I didn't know that already…",_ Fitz thought as he leaned back in Darcy's chair. He stayed like this for a few minutes but then got bored and decided to play Solitaire on Darcy's computer. He shook the mouse and then his eyebrows shot up as he saw what was on his screen.

_"Why would Darcy be looking up baby books?",_ he thought obliviously.

Just then, Darcy walked in feeling much more at ease- at least until he saw Fitz clicking around on his computer. He kind of froze but then reminded himself that he was going to have to tell him sometime, and he might as well do it now.

"Fitz, will you please remove your feet from my desk? It's mahogany. Have some respect.", he said with a stern voice but with a smile that reached his eyes.

"Oh okay, good. You're still you. I was gonna say that if you didn't scold me, you were gone for good due to Lizzie's charm.", he said jokingly.

"Despite the happiness that Lizzie has brought into my life and the new responsibility we will share together, I am still very much myself.", Darcy said, still smiling.

"Dude. Seriously. I'm glad to see you happy and all, but the smile still kinda creeps me out. If you're gonna smile, just smile all the way. Don't hold back the happy."

Darcy just laughed as he shooed Fitz away from his chair.

"Sooooo….. you wanna tell me what responsibilities you and Lizzie have now? Did y'all get a dog or something? And D-man, what's up with the baby research? If you guys are getting a pet, I think you need a different set of books..."

Darcy cleared his throat and said, "No. I'm looking up the correct material. The truth is my relationship with Lizzie has been going on longer than you've been aware. She and I went on a date the last time she was at Pemberley- you know, before the whole Wickham situation."

"Whatttt?! This is gold! Why have you been holding out on me?!"

"Well, I thought we were done and that she thought that night had been a mistake since we were slightly inebriated-"

"Wait, what?! You guys got drunk and…", the dots connected in his head. "WHAT?! No way! You and Lizzie _hooked up_?!"

Darcy assumed that meant intercourse so he nodded yes.

"Hold on, like hooked up-hooked up or _hooked up_-hooked up?", Fitz asked confused.

Darcy had had enough misinterpretations with Lizzie to last him a life time, so he cleared things up.

"Lizzie and I had sex. Today is Monday, so according to the doctor's calendar and my own, that was nine weeks ago exactly."

"My dawg! Pound it! You finally got with the woman of your dreams! I wish you woulda told me sooner, man! We coulda gone out to celebrate… Oh yeah, but the Wickham thing happened… Wait, back up Darce, what doctor?"

"Lizzie is pregnant with my baby, Fitz. I'm going to be a father.", Darcy said proudly. He hadn't really announced it to anyone, since obviously Lizzie, Lydia, and Gigi already knew. He felt a rush telling Fitz about it.

Fitz jaw dropped. And he was quiet. This was a rare treat and Darcy reveled in it for as long as he could. Fitz finally came to, and got up and hugged Darcy and patted him on the back.

"Congratz, man! Wow. That's major news! How did that happen? Well, I know how, but how could that happen to _you_ and _Lizzie_? You two are the most sensible people I know."

"There's always a risk, contraceptives or not."

"Whoaaa… I need to go congratulate her... Does Gigi know? Oh, who am I kidding? That two-timer didn't tell me anything… Whatever happened to team FIGI?!"

"Please be discrete with your congratulations, Fitz. Lizzie doesn't want anyone at the offices to know."

Fitz nodded as he made his way out of Darcy's office. He was going to go to Lizzie, but decided to see if Gigi was around so he could demand answers as to why he was kept out of the loop.

* * *

Lizzie was sitting at her desk, her soup and salad bowls left completely empty. She had just devoured her lunch and was staring at the ultrasound picture of her baby, when Lydia walked in with her cell phone's talking end covered with her hand.

"Lizzie! Put that away! Don't come crying to me when you get caught red-handed!"

"Most of the employees here have manners and knock before they enter someone's office."

"Yeah, yeah. Look, mom is totes dying to talk to you! I told her you were busy, but she said _'None of my girls are eva too busy to talk to their mama'_", Lydia said, mimicking her mother's accent almost as well as Lizzie.

"It's alright, just give me the phone. It's perfect timing for me to tell her we're going to visit this weekend."

"So you mean you're telling them forrealsies?"

"Yes, Lyds. I'm gonna start showing eventually and I'd rather them find out from me than by my baby bump. Now give me the phone before mom thinks you hung up on her."

Lydia quickly gave her the phone and said, "I'll be in Gigi's office. You should come quickly! Fitz and Gigi are fighting and it's hilarious!"

Lizzie chuckled and felt a flood of relief at hearing Lydia's high-pitched vocal inflections again.

"Hey, mom, I have some great news! We're coming to visit this weekend…". She purposely emitted that she was bringing her baby daddy along with her.

The week was an anxious one for both Lizzie and Darcy. The baby itself they consider a blessing and they are glad it exists, but it was the how of the situation which they dreaded telling.

* * *

Lizzie and Darcy were in his bedroom after dinner as she told him about the conversation she had with her mother that afternoon. He was sitting up against the headboard with his laptop on his lap and papers all about, while Lizzie laid beside him venting about telling her parents.

"How do I tell my dad, _'Hey Dad? Remember that guy we thought I hated? Yeah, I actually don't and we had amazing sex on the day that news of Lydia's video was announced and due to faulty condoms I became pregnant from that one time. But no, wait! There's more, dad! After we went and kicked Wickham's ass in the names of our younger sisters, we finally agreed to date because we both realized we feel strongly about each other! And shortly after that, I faint and discover I'm knocked up with his kid! Because who else could it possibly belong to? I haven't gotten laid since I was an undergrad.'_ Oh yeah, might as well tell him about that too."

He closed his laptop, picked up his papers, and put them all on his bedside table. He looked down to Lizzie, whose big doe eyes didn't try to conceal the anxiousness rumbling about inside of her. He swept a few stray hairs from her face and leaned down to kiss on the forehead before speaking.

"Lizzie, darling, you need to calm down. I can't imagine that those types of emotions are good for the baby. And remember you're not going alone. It takes two to tango and I will stand right beside you, holding your hand, as I say the words I never would have imagined would come out of my mouth in one sentence: _'Sir, I impregnated your daughter. Nice to see you again, I don't know if you remember me but I'm William Darcy.'"_

This made Lizzie laugh out loud with tears and everything. She felt a wave of relief wash over her as Darcy's ears reddened a little. She keeps forgetting that she's not alone anymore.

They spend the rest of the evening with Lizzie's head in Darcy's lap, discussing whatever topic came to mind. At times, they would have nothing to say but that was okay. Awkward moments were nonexistent between them anymore. He would just absent-mindedly rub Lizzie's belly and they'd both know that each was thinking of the future.

"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, Lizzie. I ordered a small library of baby material that should arrive tomorrow or the day after. I feel I need to prepare myself since I have no prior experience with infants or toddlers. Gigi was already a teen when I was left to take care of her."

"Aww how sweet! That's not a bad idea. It doesn't hurt to prepare, but don't you think it's a little early? I mean, I'm not even showing yet."

"But time flies. I don't want to put it off for the last month and have to cram everything. What if I forget something or do something wrong?"

Lizzie was about to reply but instead she yawned.

"Looks like it's time to get you home."

"Yeah.", Lizzie said with a sigh as she got off of the huge bed.

"You know… you're welcome to stay here, with me, whenever you'd like. Just let me know."

Lizzie smiled in response and hugged him.

"I know.", she mumbled into his chest. _"Maybe I should just move in with him? I mean, I can pay him back later right?"_, she considered on the way downstairs.

The rest of the week passed in the same fashion. Lizzie and Darcy would spend their evenings together alone in a different room of the house every night checking out the baby material Darcy had purchased and talking (among other things). But during the day, they would try to see each other- although not for long. Either Darcy would go to Lizzie's office for a minute just to give her a quick kiss (which neither party ever felt satisfied with) or Lizzie would need to ask him a couple of questions for her study or on behalf of Gigi, during which they just held each other and basked in the serenity of being in each other's arms (and Darcy couldn't help if his hands had a mind of their own while they were locked in their embrace).

Gigi served as Lydia's personal tour guide of San Francisco and every night they went out after dinner, with Gigi dropping Lydia off at home long after Lizzie had fallen asleep. Gigi enjoyed Lydia's company as much as she could, for if their plan worked, Lydia would be staying behind and Lizzie would be living with Darcy on their return from the Bennet home.

They had an early flight scheduled for Saturday morning so they arrived at the Bennet house before lunchtime. To say that Mrs. Bennet was shocked to see _Darcy_, of all people, would be an understatement.


	11. Lizzie and Darcy Tell Mr and Mrs B

"Oh, Lydia, darlin', I missed you so much! Let me tell ya, I've grown quite attached to that cat of yours! I never knew that pets are just babies that never grow up and leave ya! Ha ha…".

"I missed you too, mom. Even though it's only been like two weeks I've been gone."

"But now I have fewer mouths to feed! Your father won't do second helpings because he's watching his weight… Is that Elizabeth over there?! Lizzie!"

Lizzie cringed at the high pitched squeal. "Lydia gets that from our mother as you can see…", Lizzie said apologetically to Darcy, who was helping her out of the car.

"We haven't even entered the house and you're already apologizing? I hope that is not a bad omen.", he said with a smile. That was a lame attempt at a joke. He would not let Lizzie see just how terrified he was to meet the Bennets again.

"Nice try. You'll get better with time. Especially if you hang around my dad. He is the wittiest person I know."

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, I see…", he said, attempting to be funny again. He was rewarded with a quick kiss which did not escape Mrs. Bennet's eyes.

Mrs. Bennet just thought that Darcy was an assistant driver or something, trying to get extra tips by helping Lizzie, but when she saw the kiss and then when he turned around and she saw who he was, her eyes nearly popped out of her head. The couple was too wrapped up in each other to notice, however.

When they reached the front door, Mrs. Bennet cleared her throat, implying she needed an explanation.

"Hi, mom! I missed you, too!... You remember William Darcy? He's, umm, my boyfriend now.", she said with a nervous chuckle.

She stayed quiet. She wasn't angry, she was just in shock. Her middle child is in a relationship with a rich, handsome man! _"Praise the Lord!", _she prayed internally.

"Good morning, Mrs. Bennet. Allow me to reintroduce myself. William Darcy. Very nice to see you again.", he said while extending his hand.

She immediately grabbed it and shook it really hard. And then started mumbling apologies and then she moved out of the way and invited them in.

"THOMAS! Your daughters have arrived and one with a handsome surprise!", she called out to her husband.

"Please, make yourself at home. Here have a seat! Lunch will be ready soon!", she said as she scurried to the kitchen. She was glad she always made extra food because she hadn't been told he was coming.

Darcy sat next to Lizzie and held her hand as he looked around. He had been inside the Bennet home a couple of times when Bing still occupied the Netherfield estate, but he had dismissed it as an inferior middle class home that was trying too hard to fill up the large rooms in the house. But now he saw it in a new light. Everything was charming like Bing had suggested. All the little knick-knacks were memories; all the plants brought life and color into the house; all the goofy family portraits conveyed a home filled with love. _"If only the Darcy estate had had such personality when I was growing up…"_, Darcy thought sadly.

But his thoughts were interrupted by Lizzie's voice.

"Dad!", she said as she let go of Darcy's hand and ran to her father, who was standing at the bottom of the stairs. Although it had only been two weeks, it felt like eons. So much has happened since she was last at home.

They stood in a tight embrace for about a minute. Darcy couldn't help but look away due to a twinge of jealousy. His father never really hugged him. He hugged Gigi lots but not Darcy. Not because he wasn't proud- he said he was proud all the time- but the intimacy of a hug came so rarely that he cherished them very much. The last time he hugged his father was on his deathbed.

His morose thoughts were conveniently interrupted by Lizzie's voice again. Mr. Bennet, with his keen eyes, had caught sight their interlocked hands before making Lizzie aware of his presence. After their bear hug, he looked pointedly at Darcy, which prompted Lizzie to speak.

"Dad, this is William Darcy. You remember him, right?", she said with a nervous chuckle at the end.

Darcy got up and made his way to Mr. Bennet in a couple of strides.

Mr. Bennet nodded and extended his hand, which Darcy took and they shook hands strongly. Thank goodness he'd had plenty of practice at this with his business meetings. This was easily the most nerve-racking handshake he's ever given. _"Yes, maybe I should just look at this from that perspective: a business meeting. Except instead of hundreds of thousands of dollars, we're talking mine and Lizzie's feelings for each other… and our baby!",_ he almost forgot about the baby. If he hadn't already put himself in business mode, he'd have frowned at himself.

Mr. Bennet looked him square in the eye and said, "A handshake says a lot about a person. Yours is very telling."

Mr. Bennet's comment made Lizzie nervous. He was always ambiguous so he could try and determine one's character by how they interpreted the things he said. Right now, she wasn't sure whether or not Darcy had given him a good impression, so she took charge of the conversation.

"So, Dad. Darcy- I mean William- is now my boyfriend... Crazy huh?"

Mr. Bennet raised his brows in surprise but there was a twinkle in his eye that was his tell-tale sign. Only those of the Bennet house could tell whether his reactions were genuine or not. Mrs. Bennet could best of all, but she pretended not to be able to tell when it suited her interests.

_"How did he know?",_ Lizzie asked herself as Mr. Bennet continued with Darcy.

"Darcy, my good man, how tall are you?"

Darcy's only sign of confusion was the lightning fast rise of his brows.

"6 feet 3 inches, Mr. Bennet."

"Ahhh, only 3 inches taller than myself. And please, call me Thomas. You're family now, right Lizzie?"

Lizzie groaned. Her dad was asking weird questions to try to throw Darcy off his game. He was doing this to mortify her, not Darcy. This was revenge for not telling him sooner. They had always been close and she told him about all her previous boyfriends.

He continued, "You see, Darcy, height can be a great advantage in a fight. But a mere three inches is nothing to fear. Also, I'm pretty sturdy for an old man; I can take you. But that's only if I had to fight for my daughter's honor, of course."

Here, Darcy gulped. He had already crossed that line and there was no turning back because Lizzie was carrying the result in her womb. Mr. Bennet, being the perceptive man he was, took this as a sign that he and Lizzie had been together and that they must be serious, so he eased up him.

"I'm kidding of course! Any man that my Ellie judges as a good man must be the very best of men. Even if it took a while to realize it because I clearly remember that the last time I saw you two together, she couldn't stand you."

"Dad! Can we please let the past stay in the past?"

"Alright, alright! Sorry! Let's just say I'm not completely surprised seeing the two of you together. You definitely were not indifferent to this young man and I couldn't decide on which side on the love-hate line you stood."

"I think she had a foot on each side.", Darcy said trying to be say something clever.

He was rewarded with Mr. Bennet's hearty laughter and a pat on the back.

Just as Lizzie was about to protest, Mrs. Bennet called that lunch was ready.

* * *

The party of three made their way to the dining room, where Mrs. Bennet set out her best china in order to impress Darcy. She made her famous chili that she learned from her grandmama, served with some mixed salad and her famous strawberry cheesecake for dessert.

"Now, I know you rich folk probably don't eat stuff like this but I promise you it is _de_licious." Mrs. Bennet said as she served Darcy.

"No worries, Mrs. Bennet, I have eaten chili before. And yours smells exceptionally good."

"Oh hush with that 'Mrs. Bennet' business. Call me Francine! Or Mom! Either one is fine."

Darcy said, "Alright, Francine it is _for now_.", and then he looked at Lizzie with a smirk. He knows who to have on his side when the time comes to ask Lizzie for her hand in marriage.

"Yeah, Francine is perfect.", Lizzie added. She pictured marriage as an abstract thing; something that would just happen eventually. But then again, she thought the same thing about children. _"They'll happen eventually."_ And now look.

The table seated six, so Mr. and Mrs. Bennet sat at the opposite ends of the table; Darcy and Lizzie sat across from each other, closest to Mr. Bennet, and Lydia sat beside Darcy in order to serve as a sort of blockade for eye contact and questions from Mrs. B.

She started asking all kinds of questions like how long they had been dating, has he taken her out to any fancy restaurants and if he did, did she act accordingly? And at one point, she asked if they'd been intimate.

"Alright, fine, ignore my other questions. But just tell me this: have you two already 'knocked boots'? Ya know 'done the nasty'? Like-"

"MOM!", Lizzie yelled after almost choking on her chili.

"It's just that, well, you look _different_. I can't put my finger on it so I'm narrowing down the possibilities!"

Mr. Bennet laughed because he knew the answer and he thought Lizzie deserved a little more hazing. If he hadn't known the answer, he would've called her out on such an inappropriate question. Lydia couldn't help but snicker. Darcy was turning as beet red as Lizzie already was.

Darcy cleared his throat and said, "We can discuss that after lunch, if you'd like, Francine."

This time it was Mrs. Bennet who was without words and she just nodded. She didn't think they'd actually tell her. Lydia sensed this as her cue to break up the awkwardness. Darcy had never so relieved to see her _energetic_ personality resurface.

Mr. Bennet was impressed. Not many had the skills to accomplish such a feat; Quiet Franny Bennets were rare. Sure, Wickham charmed the pants off of them all, but there was no real substance there. And he could see that in Darcy, there was. No person should meet their partner's family without fearing they would make a bad impression. That fear shows that they actually care for their partner and want their family to like them too. _"If only I had noticed it sooner with George. But oh well. Everything happens for a reason."_, he thought to himself as he watched Lizzie smile nervously at Darcy from across the table.

After they all had dessert, Darcy offered to help Mrs. Bennet clean the dishes. He was repulsed by this woman the first time he met her but now she was sort of endearing in an annoying way. He actually liked her. And her cooking wasn't too shabby.

"Dad, let's all meet up in your library to talk after mom and Will finish the dishes, okay?"

"Sure thing. You've been jumpy since you got here… is everything alright?"

"Yes. Everything is going wonderfully. My independent study will be done in a couple of weeks. I'll be graduating. And then there's Will and some other stuff that I want us all to discuss together… so hold off all questions until then, okay?"

"Alright…"

"Good. Now excuse me. I have to pee really badly."

* * *

"Soooo… Darcy? You said we'd talk later. Tell me, how's my Lizzie been treatin' ya? I know she's a bit rough but she would make a great wife and mother, I'm sure.", said Mrs. Bennet while she rinsed off a dish.

She handed it to Darcy and he dried it while replying, "I agree, Francine. She's been perfect. But actually, we'd like to speak with you and Thomas together."

"Ooooo some big news, huh?! Oh boy! Alright, well let's finish up here quickly so y'all can spill the beans!"

Darcy felt kind of guilty about saying the things he said about her family. He'd been extremely wrong about Jane, he judged Lydia too quickly, and he thought their mother was a gold-digger. But he now sees that Jane is a doll, Lydia is a cool girl that reminds him so much of his own sister, and that Mrs. Bennet, although annoying and pushy, is actually very caring and nurturing and only wants the best for her girls. He didn't really think too much of Mr. Bennet before, only that their financial status was most likely caused by his inability to manage their money. But he could see that Lizzie's father was a wise, witty man who was very easy-going and that whatever troubles had befallen them, were out of his control.

The huge difference in social class didn't seem all that important anymore. They were just nice people now.

When they'd finished up the dishes, Mrs. Bennet led Darcy to Mr. Bennet's library. On the short walk she boasted about how smart Lizzie was and how most other men would be intimidated by her brain. "But not you, Darcy dear. You are the right kind of man for her!"

Darcy just smiled and nodded. He found that it was easier to have a conversation with Mrs. Bennet because she did most of the talking. Also, he didn't have to go into business mode with her. He wasn't intimidated by her anymore now that he sees that she's just really proud of her family and has already accepted him.

When they got to the library, it was empty.

"Let me go find Thomas and Elizabeth. I'll be right back."

Darcy took this opportunity to look around. His library wasn't huge, but he did like a lot of the titles he saw. There were all kinds of books, spanning many centuries, and of all genres. There were a lot of philosophical titles and that made him wonder what line of work Mr. Bennet belonged to.

_"Lizzie and I never really speak about that kind of stuff…"_, he thought as he picked up a thick volume of a book he recognized from high school.

Darcy was facing the bookshelf and had his back to the door, so he didn't see when Mrs. Bennet returned with the missing pair.

* * *

"What do you have there?", asked Mr. Bennet.

Darcy quickly returned the book to its spot and answered, "My apologies. It's just I recognized that volume from when I was in high school-".

"It's okay, son. You are free to look at anything in here. Not many people appreciate my collection."

Mrs. Bennet was excited about the news so she interrupted, "So, kids, what's all the hubbub? What's so important we needed to talk together like this? Hmmm?"

Lizzie gestured towards the only couch in the room and her parents sat down and looked up at the couple.

Darcy made his way to her side and grabbed her hand.

Lizzie cleared her throat and said nervously, "Well, mom and dad. I have some major news. And I just found out it last weekend so please understand why I didn't tell you sooner."

Her parents awaited curiously. Mrs. Bennet thought they were engaged or something.

"Will and I haven't been dating too long. A couple of weeks, maybe. But he and I had been together before that. And now… well… *gulp*… I'm pregnant."

Darcy squeezed her hand in support. He looked at her and saw the fear in her eyes. She was scared of what her parents would think.

Her parents were quiet. Mr. Bennet's jaw dropped in genuine shock while Mrs. Bennet was starting to hyperventilate.

"Say something! Yell at me for being dumb or whatever but seriously, the suspense is killing me!", Lizzie exclaimed.

Mrs. Bennet shot up and hugged her daughter so hard. She began weeping tears of joy. Darcy let go of Lizzie's hand so she could hug her mom and he was standing there awkwardly awaiting Mr. Bennet's response. He couldn't read his expression and it made him really nervous.

"Oh Lizzie, dear! I knew you looked different! A mother knows these things! How far along are you?"

Lizzie smiled and said, "10 weeks on Monday! Look at this ultrasound picture, mom!". She always carried it with her in a pocket or something.

Her mother saw it and squealed and said, "I never thought this day would come! I thought you'd be the last of my girls to give me a grandbaby! Oh, thank God! I'm so happy for y'all." She rubbed Lizzie belly excitedly.

She made her way to Darcy and gave him a hug. He stiffened at first but then melted into the hug. He was much taller than her, her head reaching just under his chest, but she was so tender and the love just radiated off of her.

"Oh, I'm so happy I could fly! I'm gonna go bake a cake now! Oh my, I didn't expect such a big surprise when you girls said y'all were comin' over!"

"Mom, please, please, please don't tell anyone! Like nobody. Don't you dare pick up a phone!

"Alright, alright!", she said before making her way to the kitchen.

Mr. Bennet just sat there.

* * *

"Dad?…", Lizzie asked anxiously.

"Wow, Elizabeth. I'm just in shock, is all. I never expected this from you."

"I'm sorry, Dad! But things just happened. Honestly. And it wasn't some one-night-stand type of thing. We do have feelings for each other."

"Yes- and Lizzie and the baby will have everything they need. There's no need to worry. It's unexpected, but we'll manage it.", Darcy added trying to sound reassuring to Lizzie.

"No, no, kids. You've got it all wrong. I'm not disappointed. Lizzie, you are 23 going on 24 soon and you're graduating with a Master's degree. It's about time your life started. Of course I wish you two would've gotten to know each longer and maybe even gotten married before some news like this, but sometimes this is just the way it is. "

Then he turned to Darcy and added, "And I'm not worried for her, Darcy. I know you can handle supporting Lizzie and my new grandchild. But you better not hurt my daughter or else I will take you up on that fight I joked about earlier."

Mr. Bennet got up off the couch and gave Lizzie a big bear hug. "Now, now, Ellie don't cry."

But Lizzie couldn't stop the tears from flowing. She had been so worried that her parents would think badly of her. She seemed to forget how understanding they could be.

"Why are you crying, Ellie?"

"It's just that I was so worried you would hate me."

"I could never hate you. I'm just a little sad I wasn't told about you two sooner, but there's no way I could hate you. Think about it, Elizabeth. You're an adult and you're responsible. It's not like you're 14 or something. There's no reason for me to be upset. This is fantastic news!"

Lizzie sniffled and stopped crying.

Darcy watched the whole exchange and was relieved that Mr. Bennet was happy for them. It got him thinking about what his parents would have said.

He didn't get to finish his thought, because Mr. Bennet came over to him and gave him a hug. Like with Mrs. Bennet, he was stiff, but he didn't ease up. He hadn't been hugged by a father in so long and this man was going to be his father-in-law one day. He was trying not to break down during the hug, so he didn't really hug back.

Mr. Bennet thought it was just that Darcy was still scared of him or something, so he didn't really make a big deal about it.

"Great news, you two. Who else knows?", Mr. B asked after separating from Darcy.

"Lydia, Will's sister, our friend Fitz, and you two. That's it. We have to tell everybody else later. I already know Charlotte is gonna kill me."

"Not even Charlotte knows? Wow.", was all Mr. Bennet said before sitting down at his desk.

Lizzie wiped her tear-stained face and chuckled. She looked over at Darcy who had recomposed himself and when he caught her eye, he smiled. She walked to him and grabbed his hand in order to lead him out of the library and up to her room.

This was only the third or so time Darcy had ever set foot in Lizzie's home, so she decided to give him a tour on the way to her room. The tour wasn't nearly as long as the tour that Gigi gave her the first time she stayed over at their house, but it was just as interesting for Darcy as it had been for Lizzie.

He saw glimpses of Lizzie's past and her growing up and it was fun to see how she was before he met her. She had all kinds of crazy stories like the loose floorboard that they hid their extra Halloween candy in each year (and to this day their mother wasn't aware of its existence). And like the time all three of the girls were fighting and throwing shoes at each other, with one high heel hitting the wall in the upstairs hallway between Jane and Lydia's rooms, causing a crack in the wall.

"Jane isn't as innocent as she looks! While Lydia and I were freaking out, she quickly devised a plan to cover our asses. She took a big picture frame from her room and replaced the photo with one of her favorite sketches. When mom and dad got home, she asked if it was alright to 'display her artwork' because she was 'so proud'. Ha!"

They arrived in Lizzie's bedroom (which her mother hadn't turned back into a meditation room yet) and she shut the door behind her.

"This is it. My bedroom. Where I raved and ranted about you for months."

Darcy looked around and although he had no idea what to expect, he thought it was so Lizzie. She had her bookshelf filled to the brim with books and knick-knacks. She had pictures all around and he recognized a younger version of each of the Bennet girls and Charlotte.

He was glad that she allowed him to know this part of her and he was reassured that their child would have a fun childhood with a mother like her, but he couldn't help feel that twinge of jealousy again. It was something that kept happening. _"Maybe I should tell her? But wouldn't it be strange to be jealous of her if I'm in love with her?"_

He decided it'd be best to clear this with her now instead of letting it bubble beneath the surface.

"Your room is very charming indeed. I have no difficulty imagining you had a very fulfilling childhood in this house…"

"But?"

"But… I cannot help but be a little envious of you. Don't misunderstand me, I'm glad you let me into your world and this gives me hope that our baby will have all the fun I didn't."

"Hmmm? What do you mean, Will?"

"You and I grew up very differently. I think it's time I tell you more about my childhood and my parents…".

"Oh… okay. Umm, come here. Have a seat.", she said solemnly, patting the space beside her on her queen sized bed.

* * *

**Hope you guys like this! More reactions coming up in the next few chapters.**

**And OMG you guys I'm hooked on these two awesome LBD fics titled 'The William Darcy Diaries' and 'Love me tender, love me true'. They're in my favorite stories on my page!**


	12. I Think I Am In Love With You, Too

**This chapter was inspired by a very fluffy update of a P&P regency fic titled 'Spite and Scorn'. It got me feeling all feelsy and I enjoyed writing this chapter so hopefully you'll enjoy reading it!**

* * *

Darcy sat down where Lizzie had patted the bed and then turned to face her.

"I don't want to make it seem as if I had a horrible childhood- I did not. I had wonderful parents who were both great role models. But I can't help but look back and feel like I missed something.

My parents loved Gigi and I undoubtedly. We never questioned that. But my mother was the more affectionate parent. She was always the one hugging and kissing us and helping us. I have very fond memories of my mother.

Unfortunately for us, she fell ill when I was ten years old and Gigi was five. She was bed-ridden for months at home until she passed away a few months later. We were all able to say good bye before she left us. And I remember it, clear as day, when she told me: 'William, promise me that you will protect your little sister. Promise me that you'll be the good man I hope you'll become.'

And I did. With tears in my eyes, I nodded yes."

Lizzie didn't really know what to say to him. Here she was in her childhood bedroom surrounded by only happy memories. She can't exactly say she understands what he went through. So she did the only thing she could and just grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

This seemed like encouragement enough for Darcy to continue.

"After my mother was gone, my father threw himself into his work as a means of escape, I suppose. He was already a quiet man and after that, we didn't really speak much. With Gigi he tried a little harder because she was younger. He still hugged her every night and sat her on his lap while he read status reports.

I assume that he thought I was old enough to handle grief on my own. But I wasn't. So when he hired Mr. Wickham to take over management of the estate a few months later- what used to be my mother's job- I was thrilled to see I had someone my age to play with. His mother had also passed a long time ago, so we already had that in common.

All your anecdotes and tomfoolery your experienced in your childhood were somewhat present in mine, except mine are tinged with memories of a time where George was a good guy and with the absence of my father. He worked too hard. Even after the doctors warned him that his heart couldn't take much stress, he kept on working.

That openness and playfulness you have with your parents makes me sad that my father didn't have that with Gigi and I. I was twenty years old and away at university when he fell ill from a heart attack and I made it just in time to say good bye. He gave me one last rare hug and his last request was the same as my mother's: to become a good man and take care of Georgiana.

I was an awkward taciturn kid who became a socially inept adult because I didn't have a kid's childhood. It wasn't unhappy, just not _fun_. I feel like I grew up too fast and like I had to take care of Gigi all by myself because as the years passed, my father grew more distant with us. And I... well, I'm glad that _you_ are mothering our baby. Because with you as a parent, I know they will have good memories and grow up happy."

* * *

Lizzie realized he was confessing his fears about inadequacy as a father as a result of his absent parents and wanted to comfort him.

"William, I'm sure you'll be a great dad! Look at what you're doing. You bought all those baby books and videos because you're interested; because you care. I watched you when we would just hang out at your house. You would rub my belly and you're so gentle with me now because of the baby. You are doing a fantastic job so far, in my opinion.", Lizzie said trying to reassure him. She had no idea that he was feeling insecure.

He looked up at her and saw the kindness in her eyes and the bit of sadness brought out by his little monologue. "_I hadn't thought of it like that... Wow, I have hit the jackpot with this woman."_, he thought to himself.

He kissed her hand, which she then used to wipe the single tear that had escaped without him noticing. She had leaned closer to him to do that, and he took the opportunity to kiss her softly. When he opened his eyes, he saw that Lizzie was smiling, which made him smile.

They were still getting to know each other, and this confession and vulnerability that Darcy displayed was a major step in their relationship. Their intimacy was now beyond just physical.

He had often wondered how he would tell her he loved her, but he never imagined it would be in her bedroom after telling her parents he had impregnated her.

She was just sitting there across from him, looking so beautiful, smiling at him. She made him feel at peace and he wanted her to know just how much she meant to him.

Unbeknownst to Darcy, Lizzie's feelings were very similar to his own. She felt this strange sense of pride and joy at being able to make her man feel better. _"Maybe it's the maternal instinct kicking in?_", she thought as she sought to explain this wave of intense emotions that she had never experienced before and couldn't describe, but which had slowly been building over time.

Darcy cleared his throat and grabbed Lizzie's hands in his own. "The last time I said this, it didn't turn out as planned, but I have to get this off my chest... Lizzie, I am in love with you and what I felt when I confessed my love for you last time cannot even compare to what I feel right at this very moment... I-"

He was interrupted by Lizzie's lips on his.

He looked puzzled and was going to try to continue his speech, but Lizzie began speaking.

"I've been feeling something that I couldn't understand but you have just made it clear to me. William Darcy... I think am in love with you, too...".

She said it mainly to herself, but her audience was over the moon. Just when he thought she couldn't make him any happier, BAM!

* * *

He felt giddy all of a sudden and started kissing Lizzie all over and tickling her, which made her giggle. Within seconds, Lizzie was on her back laughing at Darcy's tickling and very much enjoying his little kisses.

Lydia had her ear phones in and didn't hear the loud giggling from outside the door. She didn't stop to think that Lizzie might be in her room with Darcy, so when she opened the door, she was very shocked to see Darcy straddling Lizzie while tickling her; and her giggling and yelling, "I love you, I love you, _I love you!_"

You see, Darcy had used Lizzie's confession against her. He wouldn't stop tickling her until she said it again. "Say it again, Lizzie!", "What was that?" he would say jokingly while she tried to stay strong and not give him the satisfaction. But ultimately, she failed and that was what Lydia barged in on.

"Ummmm, guys?", Lydia said taking out an ear bud and walking over to the bed to drop down the house phone. Lizzie and Darcy looked over, Darcy's hand frozen in mid-tickle.

"Jane wants to speak with you...", Lydia said after a few seconds.

She began walking away, but not before giving the couple an odd look that clearly expressed, _"WTF are you two doing?"_

Darcy, who would probably have been really embarrassed if he hadn't been so happy, said, "Wait, Lydia, we can explain!"

Lydia's brow shot up and she replied, "Riiight... Freaks!"

Lizzie burst out laughing at Darcy's expression after Lydia's comment.

"Remind me to lock my door next time, Will.", she said as she reached for the house phone and put it on speaker.

* * *

"Lizzie! It's so good to hear from you. Mom said you came over with a surprise... And please excuse me, sis, but did you just day 'Will'? And I heard a man's voice that sounded an awful lot like Darcy..."

_"Damn it, Mom! I told you not to go near a phone!"_, she thought, annoyed at her mother.

Lizzie sighed and replied, "Well, Jane, I have to explain some things to you. I was gonna actually call you later. Do you mind Skyping?"

"Not at all but-"

"And is Bing there with you? We kinda hoped to tell the two of you together." Darcy had been mouthing 'Ask for Bing'.

"Yeah, he is actually. I'm thinking about breaking my 'separate apartments' rule because he seems to spend more time here than at his own place...", Jane said laughing.

"Excellent. I'm gonna turn my laptop on and I expect a call from you in a couple of minutes."

"Alrighty. But you said 'we'. Is Lydia alright?"

"She's fine, Janie. Just call me."

"Okay... bye!"

Lizzie looked up at Darcy who had gotten off of Lizzie after Lydia walked in. She was still laying on the bed but then sat herself up.

"Can you pass me my laptop, please? And do you mind taking this phone back down to its base. I think this phone is the one in the living room."

Darcy paled. No way did he want to run into Lydia after what she had just witnessed.

He sighed but he did as told and made his way downstairs.

Lizzie booted up her computer and took a deep breath before clicking on the Skype icon on her home screen.

_"So many things to tell Janie. I hope she isn't hurt that I didn't tell her earlier..."_, she thought sadly while waiting for Jane's call.

* * *

**I'm moving at a snail's pace with this story lol. But that means it'll last longer, right? :P  
**

**Guys, I'd love to hear any suggestions/ideas you may have. I want Darcy and Lizzie to get married eventually but I don't know whether to make it before or after the baby is born. And I have yet to decide on a gender for the baby but I'm leaning towards one side...  
**

**Also, how do you guys think Lizzie's fans (aka YouTube) will find out about her pregnancy? That's coming up after everyone finds out.**

**Anyways, hope you liked it! I'll try to update soon.**

***And shout out to my international readers! I am from the USA but I see some views from all over the world, which is pretty cool! Thank you!* :D**


	13. Charlotte's Revenge

On his way down the stairs, Darcy hoped with all his heart and soul he wouldn't run into Lydia. But of course, as soon as he entered the living room, Lydia was sprawled out on the couch watching some reality television show.

_"There is no way I can return the phone to its base without passing by Lydia... Can't I just leave the phone in another location? It will ring eventually...", _he thought to himself.

Just as Darcy was turning around to leave, Lydia got up from the couch to head to the bathroom. However, all desire to pee fled from her body and she decided she would tease him. She was getting bored with the show anyway.

"Well, well, welll, what do we have here? The infamous tickle monster?!"

Darcy could feel the blood rushing to his face and his ears felt hot all of a sudden. The embarrassment he lacked when caught tickling Lizzie in bed was now hitting him full-force.

"I'm just here to return the phone.", he said extending the hand that held the phone towards Lydia.

She could tell he wasn't used to the teasing and took pity on him. She didn't want him to think badly of her now, after they'd gotten along so well in San Francisco. Lydia sighed and grabbed the phone from Darcy's hand, returning it to its base quickly so she could have a chance to speak with him before he bolted.

"Look, Darce, I'm sorry. The teasing is something we got from our dad. All three of us do it."

"No need to tell me- I concluded as much after meeting your father earlier today.", Darcy replied with a chuckle.

Lydia was glad to see he was at ease again. "But seriously guys, lock your door when you're going to be doing weird stuff. Can you imagine if you guys had been- you know what? Never mind that!", she said with a shudder as she tried to stop the influx of mental pictures of Darcy and her sister together.

Darcy laughed lightly again. Now it was Lydia's turn to be uncomfortable.

"Yes. Lizzie suggested we best keep the door locked right after you left. But you know, you could always try knocking."

Lydia rolled her eyes jokingly. "Yeah, yeah. I got used to not knocking. Lizzie was single for so long; it's kind of a bad habit... but hey, could I talk to you for a sec?"

Darcy's eyebrows furrowed lightly with concern. "Is everything alright?"

"No! I mean yeah, everything's fine. Nothing's wrong! It's just I wanted to talk about Lizzie. It's just that... well, I've never seen her so happy, y'know? Ever since you guys returned from LA to handle business with 'he-who-must-not-be-named', she's been so much more fun. She laughs more and doesn't take herself so seriously. The old Lizzie would've definitely freaked out way harder at getting knocked up. But it's you Darce. You make her all giggly and stuff. And well... What I mean to say is... thanks. You make my big sister happy and that makes me happy."

Darcy was caught off guard, so his face showed his emotions. He was shocked. He still didn't know her well enough to even understand her sense of humor, so he was definitely not expecting a deep conversation.

Lydia saw his expression and spoke before he had a chance to reply.

"I know, it's weird for me to get all _emotional_. But my therapist says if I feel something strongly I should speak up, so I did. And I will always be grateful to you and Bing for making my sisters happy. They mean so much to me, and I finally was able to understand that they love me, too. But umm... yeah. I'm gonna go pee now. You should probably go see what Lizzie is up to."

Darcy just nodded and made his way back up the stairs. Impulsively, he went back down and said, "Lydia? Thank you. Lizzie means a lot to me, too. And since we're family now, you do too... Whenever you feel the need to express yourself, do no hesitate to tell me- if you would like, that is."

Lydia smiled and said, "Thanks, tickle monster.", before turning around and walking away.

_"Hmm... Lydia is quite a character. There are many sides to her. I've got a long road ahead of me learning about this family..."_, he thought as he climbed.

* * *

Darcy made it back into the room, making sure to lock the door behind him.

"Just in time!", Lizzie said before gesturing for him to join her on the bed and answering Jane's video-call.

"Hi, Jane! Hey, Bing!", Lizzie said excitedly as she waved at them. The extra excitement was a front for her nervousness.

"Hello, baby sis! It's so good to see you after so long. It feels like forever-"

Jane stopped mid-sentence as Darcy's frame and then face made its way onto her screen.

Darcy cleared his throat and said, "Hello, Jane. Bing."

Jane and Bing both looked at each other with raised eyebrows and then turned back to Darcy and said their hello's.

"So umm... I'm just gonna come right out and say this. Please don't hate me for not telling you sooner but-", Lizzie stopped and looked over at Darcy. He gave her an encouraging nod and a smile, which made her smile and continue her sentence. "-Darcy and I are dating."

Bing and Jane's faces lit up like Christmas trees; they started congratulating the couple and asking all the questions that anybody who knew about Lizzie and Darcy's 'colorful' past would ask.

Lizzie and Darcy both explained the past couple of months; from their theater date to hunting down Wickham together, to now (sparing them the juicy details, of course).

"And, well, umm...", Lizzie started to say.

"Lizzie is pregnant with our child.", Darcy announced proudly to the already stunned pair.

If their faces were shocked when they saw Darcy appear on the screen, then their expressions were now indescribable. Complete and utter shock.

"WHOA.", was all Bing said.

"And not 'Whoa' in a bad way! Just 'Whoa' in a surprised way... Wow. Oh- Congratulations! You two are obviously welcoming the baby with open arms.", Jane amended.

Bing snapped out of his trance and said, "Okay, the med school student in me wants to know everything about the baby. How far along are you?"

They filled the couple in on the way the pregnancy was discovered and their doctor's appointment.

"Lastly, I'm ten weeks in a couple of days. We just found out like two weeks ago but we wanted to tell Mom and Dad first."

"That's great, Lizzie! I'm so happy for the both of you! Does Charlotte know?"

Lizzie sighed. "Nope. I will tell her soon, though."

The sisters began talking to each other about the baby and began scheduling visits because Jane wanted to be there for her as much as she could. At one point, the men sort of gave a each other a look that said, _"We'll talk later."_, and they both got off the computer and let their partners converse.

They chatted for almost an hour and at the end of the call Lizzie asked, "Are you sure you aren't mad at me for not telling you sooner? I really am sorry, Janie."

Jane shook her head no. "Don't be silly, Lizzie. Your situation was... complicated. It's perfectly understandable!".

_"Of course Jane would understand. Why was I so worried?"_

They said their goodbyes and then Lizzie got an idea.

* * *

She decided to email Charlotte the footage from when Darcy had asked her out. She was filming about her new phone that day and when he came in and asked her out, she had still been recording. She never uploaded the video because she didn't want anyone to know.

_"What better way to break the news than by video?"_, Lizzie thought as she emailed the clip to Charlotte and awaited a response.

Lizzie's phone rang and she already knew who it was going to be.

Darcy was sitting at Lizzie's desk, texting Bing, when he looked up and said, "You should answer that, Lizzie. I don't think Ms. Lu will appreciate you ignoring her calls."

Lizzie groaned in response and put the phone on speaker.

"Hey, since-fetuses best friend!", she said in a false cheerful tone.

"ELIZABETH BENNET! YOU WENT ON A DATE WITH DARCY AND DIDN'T TELL ME _OR_ THE VIEWERS?! I'M PISSED AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE MORE PISSED!"

"Sorry?!"

"Spill! Details! Now!"

"Well, umm, we'd be happy to tell you everything but I'd rather do it face-to-face like we did with Jane and Bing so-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. We?"

Darcy cleared his throat and said, "Good afternoon, Ms. Lu. When are you available for a video-chat?"

Charlotte was silent for a few seconds before answering,"Hey there, Darcy... Uhh, I'm actually working right now. Your Aunt Catherine had some last minute adjustments to make to one of the projects, so Mr. Collins and I are at the offices today-"

"On a Saturday? Doesn't Ricky have a heart?", Lizzie commented.

"It's okay. I get paid overtime. But umm, yeah. I guess I'll be out of here later today. I'll let you know. And oh- don't think you're off the hook, Lizzie.", Charlotte said before hanging up.

_"Yikes. She's like this over a date. Imagine when we tell her everything else..."_

Little did Lizzie know, Charlotte was going to edit and upload the footage as payback for not telling her she went on a date with Darcy. _"I knew it! I knew they had chemistry. It was only a matter of time. She should've told me, though! Good luck explaining this footage to the viewers, bestie."_, Charlotte thought smugly as she emailed Mr. Collins that her assignment was going to take a bit longer than she had anticipated.

* * *

**I kind of wanted Lydia and Darcy to have a moment. Anyways, hope you enjoyed. I'll update soon! Things will speed up in a few more chapters.  
**


	14. Charlotte's Reaction

**_Optional_ Brief Recap:** Darcy fixes things between Bing and Jane. Gigi invites Lizzie to her house. Lizzie is tricked into spending time with Darcy during her stay with the Darcys (watching DVDs together,falling asleep on the couch together, playing tennis). Lizzie is tricked spending time with Darcy during their tour of San Fran. Lizzie and Darcy have fun during her 'corporate interview' where he makes her laugh by impersonating Fitz. Darcy gathers up the courage to ask Lizzie on a date and she agrees. The pair get tipsy and get intimate using faulty contraception. They are separated by Lydia's situation. Darcy buys Novelty Exposures and gets the video taken down. Lizzie and Darcy track down George together. They begin an official relationship but keep it on the down-low. Lizzie returns to San Fran with Lydia. During another stay at the Darcy's, Lizzie faints and finds out she's prego. Lizzie and Darcy visit the doc together and are both happy with the idea of a baby. Lydia, Gigi, Fitz, Lizzie's parents, and Jane and Bing are all supportive of Lizzie and Darcy's surprise pregnancy and their new relationship. Charlotte has yet to find out anything, except for the fact Lizzie went on a date with Darcy.

**Also, big thanks to FF user SOLYAHU for her ideas in this chapter!**

* * *

Darcy spent the rest of the afternoon handling business affairs by phone and email while Lizzie took a nap. She had nothing better to do until Charlotte called and she was super tired. The stress and relief of telling her family their little secret was physically draining.

Lydia came by to announce when dinner was ready. She made sure to knock loudly before yelling,"Dinner's ready, lovebirds!"

Darcy had just finished typing up his last email for the day, and he yelled out,"Thank you, Lydia! We'll be down in a moment."

Lizzie was still asleep. He hadn't noticed exactly when she had fallen asleep, but he quickly learned that noise didn't bother her and he didn't have to try to speak lower while on the phone.

After shutting off his laptop, Darcy looked over at his pregnant girlfriend.

_"She looks so peaceful like this..."_, Darcy acknowledged while debating whether or not to wake her up for dinner. He really didn't want to face the Bennets alone, so the selfish side of him wanted to wake her up. _"She needs to eat, right?"_, he thought, trying to give himself a legitimate reason for disrupting what appeared to be a very satisfying nap.

That seemed to work fine for him and he was about to wake her up when he had an idea.

"I hope she doesn't mind...", he said to himself as he snapped a picture of her. She was on her side, one arm beneath her pillow, the other resting near her belly. She was almost smiling, too. She was too cute and he couldn't help himself.

Darcy sat beside her on the bed and started running his fingers through her hair. He bent down near her ear and whispered, "Lizzie, my love, wake up. Your mother has prepared dinner."

She stirred and he continued whispering for her to wake up. When that failed, he started to place a series of short kisses all over her ear, neck, and face. Lizzie smiled at this and then opened her eyes slowly. She blinked several times and then smiled widely as she remembered where she was and saw who had woken her up.

* * *

The dinner was much more pleasant than lunch. Now that their little secret was out in the open, the family could talk about the baby and the future.

"So Lizzie, Janie called. Did ya speak with her?", Mrs. Bennet asked as they sat at the table eating spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread and mixed salad.

Lizzie got mad and started telling her mom that she wasn't supposed to go near a phone, when Darcy stepped in and changed the direction of the conversation.

"Bing and Jane were very pleased. And I don't know if you remember, Lizzie, but Jane mentioned something about moving in with Bing, right?"

Mr. Bennet was impressed at how quickly Darcy had learned to handle Mrs. Bennet. He expertly shifted the focus from himself and Lizzie to Bing and Jane.

After dinner was over, Lizzie and Darcy went back up to Lizzie's room in order to have a chat while they waited for Charlotte's call.

On the way up the stairs, Lizzie said to him jokingly, "I don't think Jane is going to appreciate how you threw her and Bing under the bus."

Darcy just shrugged and replied, "But you and your mom stopped arguing, so I think Jane would understand."

They had settled into their spots, Lizzie sitting indian-style on her bed and Darcy sitting across from her in her computer chair, when Mrs. Bennet barged in decked out in a super tight yoga outfit with a rolled mat under her arm and a bottle of water in her hand.

"It's yoga time, y'all! Remember? I had turned your room into my meditation haven while you were gone. I need to do this everyday, undisturbed, for my poor nerves. Your room is the best spot. Unless you'd care to join me? You know, I heard yoga is good for the baby-"

"No thanks, mom. We'll be out of your hair... Mom-", Lizzie said eyeing her mom up and down. She looked like one of those older women who try to squeeze into young women's clothing.

Darcy chimed in with an idea of his own, in order to avoid another argument between mother and daughter. "Actually Francine, would you mind terribly if I stole Lizzie away until tomorrow? I have the keys to Netherfield and I thought we might stay over there tonight. You know, in order to avoid causing too much inconvenience."

"Oh, Darcy darlin'! You two are family! No inconvenience here! But if y'all wanna spend some time together, I don't mind.", she said and proceeded to wink and nudge Darcy in the ribs with her elbow.

"Great! Let's go say bye to Dad and Lydia. Bye, mom.", Lizzie said quickly, trying to escape her mom's embarrassing assumptions.

"I wanna see y'all here bright and early for a nice Sunday luncheon!", Mrs. Bennet called out to them as they exited the room. "And oh! Don't forget your cake! It's amazing, if I do say so myself!"

* * *

Lizzie teared up in the car. Sometimes her mom annoyed her to no end, but sometimes, her mother could be the sweetest person in the world. Lizzie wiped the tear that had escaped before Darcy could notice.

"How can she be so infuriating one minute and then so lovely the next?! I don't get it!"

Darcy didn't say a word. He just grabbed her hand with his free hand as he drove them to Netherfield in a rental he had ordered while he was handling business. He liked listening to her rant and rave.

Darcy was listening with a slightly amused smile to all the ranting of his girlfriend in the car. He found that her energy and passion was adorable, and her raving about convoluted plans and incorrigible parents was more entertaining than anything he could watch on TV. But this time, she was complaining about her mother giving her emotional whiplash. She went from annoying to best-mother-in-the-world in only the walk from Lizzie's room to the kitchen.

The cake was a beautiful chocolate cake that said _'My grandbaby is lucky to have a momma and daddy like y'all!'_ with icing and then it had a heart made out of mini chocolate chips underneath. The fact that her parents were being supportive made her really happy, so this cake just made her really emotional. She was blaming it on her hormones, however.

When they got to Netherfield, Lizzie went straight to the kitchen to put the cake down. She snapped a picture of it to send to Jane later and so she could look at it whenever her mother pissed her off; it might remind her that her mother could be awesome sometimes.

She also was craving a piece. She could smell the hint of vanilla extract in the cake during the whole ride with her new pregnancy nose and she couldn't resist any longer. She looked for two plates and forks and a knife to serve herself and Darcy. _"Hmm, this is becoming kind of like a second nature."_, she thought to herself as she noticed that now whatever she was going to do, she considered Darcy as well.

Darcy, who had just entered the kitchen after taking their bags up to his room, leaned back against the wall and watched his girlfriend busy herself with the cake. The fact that they were now alone didn't escape him and he had plans for them after their dessert.

As they were eating, Darcy tried to snap a picture of Lizzie with his phone.

"Whoa, whoa! If you're gonna take a picture of me stuffing my face, at least let me pose.", she protested as she jokingly attempted a seductive pose with the forkful of cake.

"Lemme see!", Lizzie demanded playfully as she grabbed his phone and then nodded her approval of the picture.

She wasn't aware, but that quick little pose deepened within Darcy a desire that was already barely restrained. He set that picture as his phone's background, and then quickly got up to pick up his and Lizzie's plates.

He had already put them in the sink when Lizzie yelled, "Will! What's your problem? I wasn't finished yet!"

He shrugged casually which angered Lizzie even more. It wasn't the cake that angered her; it was the fact that he thought he could do whatever he wanted.

She got up and made her way to the sink to retrieve her plate. "If you think I'm just gonna sit there and let you do that, you got another thing coming-"

Darcy intercepted her path and said, "Sshh!"

_"Oh, hell no! Did he just _shush _me?!"_

She looked up at Darcy with fire in her eyes, and he just calmly grabbed her hands and intertwined them with his own.

"Allow me to divert your thoughts to something more pleasant…", he said before leaning down to kiss her.

Within seconds she was on her tippy toes, her neck craning so Darcy wouldn't be the only one putting forth the effort; the remnants of her piece of cake quickly forgotten.

* * *

Neither could recall how or when they got to Darcy's room because they were so wrapped up in their passionate embrace.

Lizzie pulled away from a reluctant Darcy, grabbed something out of her bag, and smiled promisingly at the pouting man before her as she withdrew into the en suite bathroom.

Darcy pulled at his tie and sighed frustrated at his inability to undo the knot. _"Lizzie is to blame. I can never do anything correctly while I have her on my mind."_

*BEEP*

*BEEP*

*BEEP*

A series of noises from Lizzie's bag interrupted Darcy's thoughts.

"If that is Ms. Lu, she has terrible timing.", Darcy said to himself with an annoyed tone. He seemed to have worked himself into a bit of a bad mood. Like when a child is told they have to wait until after supper to eat their candy.

He checked her screen and saw that the noises came as a result of some twitter messages. _"Oh, only social media notifications; nothing important. I'll just put the phone on silent."_

After about a minute, however, the devilish device kept up its rebellion and started buzzing with the flow of incoming messages. There was absolutely no way he could ignore that.

One thing about Darcy is that he's painfully honest and dislikes even a slight hint of duplicity, but he knows the ruckus is just some unimportant Twitter and Tumblr explosion of some kind, probably from their getting together. _"I wonder who revealed our secret? Probably Gigi…"_.

Now he was faced with a decision: should he tell Lizzie her phone was blowing up and put their intimate moments off for God knows how long later in the evening, or shut off her phone and tell her afterwards? Meanwhile, the damned phone started buzzing and that settled it.

_"I don't know if the Digital Gods have conspired against me to ruin my current happiness, but I will not allow it! I am sure we don't have much time until Ms. Lu calls and I don't know if after our conversation Lizzie and I will be in the mood."_

He let his libido win and shut off her phone. He was feeling rather guilty about it and decided he would tell her about it, but all coherent thought was lost when Lizzie opened the door to the bathroom.

She stepped out, barefoot, in a lacy two-piece ensemble from Victoria's Secret. With one hand on her hips and the other twirling her hair, she walked slowly towards Darcy who was just staring at her wide-eyed and hungry.

* * *

After the couple made love, Darcy gently rubbed Lizzie's belly as their breathing evened. Still no super obvious sign, but he knew their baby was growing in there. They were lying next to each other and began talking about things they'd like to accomplish before the baby arrives and the future and just random things. Darcy always made mental notes about what she said, with every intention of making her ideas come to life.

"What time is it? Maybe we missed Char's call?", Lizzie asked after their conversation simmered down.

_"Crap." _Darcy had abruptly stopped rubbing Lizzie's slightly pudgy belly.

Lizzie started to get up to look for her phone, when Darcy pulled her arm to stop her.

"Lizzie, I have a confession to make.", Darcy said seriously. He was scared she'd be mad at him and he hated to ruin their lovely night together.

"Okay...", she said with a smile and threw herself back on the bed. She thought that Darcy was trying to be playful and tease her. For a man who disliked deception, he sure had the best poker face of anyone Lizzie knew, so she had a hard time discerning when he was kidding and when he wasn't.

"Would you like to confess that I am a _divine_ sex goddess and that you'll worship me forever?", she asked flirtatiously.

Darcy's brows raised in surprise; he wasn't expecting that. Here he was dreading her getting upset at him, and she was flirting with him.

He smiled and responded, "Of course.", before setting a gentle kiss on her lips. She had her hair spread around her face and she was still sort of flushed from their exercise; he couldn't resist.

"Which one is it? The former or the latter?", Lizzie challenged.

Darcy laughed, recognizing it as a trick question of some sort, he simply answered, "Both, babe. But really, I must tell you something. And please don't be angry with me."

Lizzie frowned,"Okay. What is it?"

"Well, when you were in the bathroom, your phone kept beeping and buzzing with notifications and I found it annoying so I turned it off..."

"Okay..."

"That's it. I apologize. I should have asked."

Lizzie burst out laughing. "Seriously, Will? Wowww. Aside from the fact that Charlotte will be mega pissed if I missed her call, I have no problem with you turning off my phone...".

"Really? Had someone shut off my phone, I would be at least annoyed."

"But you're not just someone, you're my _boyfriend_. But if it bothers you that much, then RAWR; I'm angry. And I want payback!", Lizzie said in a pretend-annoyed voice.

"What would you like me to do?"

"Hmmm... I know. First hand me my phone.", she said but then her voice changed and became more uncertain. "I'd like for you to appear on my videos again. And I'd like to reveal, well, everything. Not _everything_, but...you know.", she said pointing to her belly. She turned on her phone and waited for it to boot. "When we spoke to Charlotte she mentioned the viewers and I have noticed that I haven't uploaded a video in forever...".

Darcy's expression was not a happy one. The internet had been a place of ridicule for him, but he'd do anything to make Lizzie happy, so he nodded in agreement.

"Really? Great! I'd like to tell everyone gradually. You know, first let's tell them we're dating. Let them digest that for a little bit. And then, before I blow up to the size of a balloon, I'd like to share the news."

"Okay. That sounds alright. When would you like to do this?"

"I don't know. Whenever. But soon, I guess. And since I'll be done with the independent study this week, I wouldn't even need Charlotte to edit it for me."

"About that- what are you going to do after it's finished? Are you going back home?"

"Actually-"

She was interrupted by her phone ringing. She hadn't had a chance to check her notifications and there's no way she could now- Charlotte was finally calling.

* * *

"Hey, Char!", Lizzie answered nervously as she put the phone on speaker.

"Sooo... Care to explain the video? I'm sure your viewers would like an explanation as well!", Charlotte answered curtly.

"Well, Char... I'm gonna explain but you can't interrupt us okay?"

"Ohhh, Darcy is there with you, huh? Fine; I won't say a word."

Lizzie could tell Charlottle was fuming and she understands why. They're best friends and even though their lives have gotten busy, news like this should've been shared a while ago.

"Okay, so it all started...", Lizzie said and then she and Darcy filled Charlotte in on everything. Like, _everything_. Darcy blushed a few times times as Lizzie recounted certain parts of their rocky relationship.

"And now we're sitting naked in Darcy's room at Netherfield... Okay, you can speak now."

"SERIOUSLY?!... And nobody is freaking out?!", Charlotte finally responded.

Darcy couldn't believe Charlotte and Lizzie were so open with each other. She didn't even react to the fact that she was speaking to them while they were _in the nude_. He couldn't even remember the last time he had spoken so frankly with someone.

The fact that Charlotte knew he wasn't clothed made Darcy uncomfortable, so he got off the bed and threw on a pair of his '$5000 boxers' and handed Lizzie the get-up she had on earlier, which she put on while speaking to Charlotte. Darcy rejoined her on the bed and continued listening to the conversation.

"Well, at first we were, but now we're okay. It's like my dad said, we're adults and there's really no reason why we shouldn't have this baby."

"Lizzie, I'm happy you guys are happy but I just can't understand how you two can be so nonchalant about this. A baby is a life changer. Sure, Darcy has money, but money isn't everything. Your life isn't going to be yours anymore. I never would have expected this from you two."

Here Darcy jumped in. He felt that she was patronizing them. _"I am older than her, right?"._

"Charlotte, I don't mean to come across as rude, but we understand all of that. We've already talked about it and we're okay with the fact that our lives are going to change forever. We've been doing research and we've got the support of Francine and Thomas-"

"You're on a first name basis with the Bennets now?! Wow.", Charlotte laughed and then sighed. This was a big shocker but she couldn't stay mad at her friend. That baby should be a source of joy right now, not worry.

"Alright. Well, clearly you guys are serious about this and I have nothing but congratulations for you. It'll take some time for me to get used to the fact that you're gonna be a mommy. But you better keep me updated from now on... Seriously though Lizzie, you could have told me sooner...".

"I'm sorry, bestie! We just wanted to keep us to ourselves for a while. But then with the unexpected news of the pregnancy, we were forced to tell...".

"So I was the last one to find out, huh?"

"Yeah... Sorry about that! The only ones left are the viewers."

"Oh... I thought you knew. My twitter has been super busy, I assumed yours would, too..."

"Yeah, Will mentioned I was getting notifications earlier but he turned off my phone and it was off for a while...".

"Ha ha, I bet it was. But umm, yeah. I was kind of angry that you hadn't told me that you and Darcy were a thing! I totally knew it would happen so I wasn't surprised but the fact that you kept me in the dark... I uploaded the video you sent me to YouTube and now the viewers are going insane!"

"You what?!", Lizzie exclaimed.

"Whoa, look at the time! I've gotta go! I'll talk to you tomorrow! Bye, bestie! Bye, Darcy!", Charlotte said quickly before hanging up.

"Well, there goes our plan.", Darcy said with a smile. "You know, with you, nothing seems to ever go right."

"That's what comes along with me. Craziness and spontaneity. Take it or leave it."

"I'll gladly take it.", he said before planting a kiss on her forehead, and leaving her side and heading to the bathroom.

"So then a new video tomorrow? We can't leave them hanging for too long!"

"Sure.", Darcy mumbled through toothpaste, "We can do it tomorrow at your parents' after your mother's lunch."

"Perfect.", Lizzie said.

All of a sudden, she had a strong urge to pee. "I'm definitely not going to miss this when you're out!", she said to her belly. She got up off the bed reluctantly and made her way towards the bathroom. She passed Darcy who was finishing up brushing his teeth and went straight for the toilet.

Darcy froze. He had never been in the bathroom with her when she was actually using it.

Lizzie burst out laughing. "Chill out, Will. It's just pee! Nooo! Don't go! Stay in here and let's talk about what we're going to say tomorrow."

Darcy chuckled. "Do other people do this? Converse in the bathroom?". In his prim and proper upbringing, he never experienced anything like this.

"I've always done this with my sisters. Never with a boyfriend, though. There's a first time for everything."

Darcy sat on the counter and faced Lizzie. "Okay, so what should we say tomorrow?"

Lizzie just smiled. He had loosened up around her so much and she was enjoying it.

"What?", he asked wondering at the weird grin on her face.

"I love you, William."

"I love you, too, Lizzie.". They were both glad they could say it aloud now.

"So about tomorrow..."

* * *

**So in the upcoming chapters they explain themselves to the viewers, Lizzie finishes her independent study and decides what she's going to do until graduation, some people aren't too happy with Lizzie and Darcy's relationships, and Lizzie and Charlotte celebrate their 24th birthdays!**

**Also, a heads-up: I'm going to be out of the country for a month but I should have access to internet so I'll still update! Don't worry guys! Lol. But if for some reason I don't, you know why. :P**


	15. Lizzie Moves In

Lizzie and Darcy had just finished eating Mrs. Bennet's Sunday lunch. Their visit was coming to an end, and they were planning to leave later that evening.

A red light was on the camera, indicating that it was recording. They were sitting on a bench in Lizzie's room in the usual spot in front of the door.

"Are you ready?", Lizzie asked Darcy who was just staring at the camera like a deer in headlights.

He nodded yes nervously and gulped. His throat felt dry all of a sudden._ "I was fine just a moment ago..."._

Lizzie noticed his uncertainty and grabbed his hand reassuringly off-screen. She gave him a quick smile which made him feel a little easier.

"Well then, let's get straight to it!", she said turning to face the camera. "My name is Lizzie Bennet..."

She nudged Darcy with her elbow and he said, "And I'm William Darcy..."

"... And we've got some explaining to dooo!", Lizzie said trying to imitate the famous line from the show 'I Love Lucy'.

***Cue theme music***

"So umm... Yea! You all have Charlotte to thank for uploading the last video _without my knowledge._ We were gonna tell you guys- I swear- but we kind of wanted privacy for a little while, ya know?

But to answer the most asked questions in comments: Yes, William and I went on a date. Yes, he and I had a great time together-".

She and Darcy exchanged a knowing glance. It was less than a second long, but it spoke volumes. She smiled a mischievous smile and he didn't smile, but his eyes lit up briefly at the memory of their first time together.

Darcy cleared his throat and jumped in, "-And yes, Lizzie Bennet is now my girlfriend." And at that he did smile. He was glad to share it with the world. He was glad to redeem himself on camera. Those earlier videos meant nothing now because she was now his and carrying his child.

"Now, I know you're all wondering how this happened. We're gonna fill you in, don't worry! We wouldn't leave you all hanging like that, right Will?"

"That is correct, Lizzie. And if I may interrupt your monologue?"

"Mmhmm."

"If I recall correctly, in one of your question-and-answer videos you asked, 'In what universe would Darcy be in my room?' Well, I'd like to know what you have to say about that now.", he teased.

Lizzie laughed and replied, "Obviously I was wrong! No need to rub in my face!"

He smiled a self-satisfied smile and made a hand gesture for Lizzie to continue talking. She rolled her eyes at him and spoke.

"Anywayyy, Darcy and I went to go see Shakespeare that evening...". And the couple briefly summarized how they got together without getting too specific (they weren't ready to reveal the pregnancy yet). She told everyone about how it was Darcy who shut down the website (which most of the viewers already knew thanks to the Domino app videos) and how, together, they got Wickham to give them the last copy of the tape (she didn't include the fact that Darcy bought the porn company or that they beat up Wickham).

"And we've just told my parents about us! I was really nervous about that... but they love William! Mom thinks everything he does is rainbows and unicorns and Dad showed him his _trains_! That's a _big_ deal!"

There was a cut and now Lizzie had on her mother's costume theater props.

"Oh Darcy, darlin'! You are just as sweet as cherry pie! You can go ahead and call me Mama! I just looove my future sons-in-law! My grandbabies are gonna be beautiful!", she said in her mother's Southern drawl.

Another cut and Lizzie had her dad's props on.

"You see these beauties right here, Darcy? These are trains I've been collecting since I was a boy. Would you like me to show you the train track? I usually only fire it up around Christmas time, but I'd make an exception for you, son.", she said in between taking fake puffs from the pipe.

Darcy chuckled and said, "I used to think you exaggerated with costume theater, but now I see that your depictions are eerily accurate."

"Tell me about it. But later on, we'll be back in San Francisco and my father will be the one to put up with my mother's excitable nature alone."

"About that... what are you planning to do after this week? I have it in my calendar that this week is the last week of your independent study..."

"Well... I was thinking about taking you up on your offer. You know, to stay with you. Dr. Gardiner's relatives are coming back in a couple of weeks and I had only been allowed to stay there for this project...

Now that it's almost over and I have a _very _good reason to stay in San Francisco, I was thinking of staying and setting up a plan for the future... Don't worry, I'll explain in another video, guys.

So what do you say, Will? I can stay until I have to come back home for graduation... Actually, before I leave, I should leave the measurements for my cap and gown with Mom so she can order them for me..."

The video ends here abruptly because Lizzie began wondering aloud about what size she might be by the time graduation rolls around and if that had been left in, there would be speculation about her being pregnant.

They sent what they filmed to Charlotte, who would edit the video tonight and upload the video tomorrow.

* * *

"We're ready to go, Mom and Dad! Where's Lydia?", Lizzie asked as Darcy helped Lizzie down the stairs.

"I'm not going, sis!", Lizzie yelled from the den.

"Why not? I thought you and I were gonna remain San Fran roomies. It was nice having someone at home with me."

Lydia appeared and said, "I'm thinking about taking summer classes and I'm gonna ask Mary to help me pick them out..."

Lizzie pouted but couldn't protest. That was a very good reason to stay behind.

"...but since we spent 99% of our time at Darcy's house, why don't you just move in with him? It'd be safer, too. Ya know, for the baby. If something were to happen while you were alone at your place... But at Darcy's, you'd never be home alone!"

Mrs. Bennet lit up like a Christmas tree. "Oh Lydia, baby girl, you're so smart! Elizabeth Bennet, if you think I'm gonna let you leave here so you can be alone with my grandbaby, you are out of your mind! Darcy, you wouldn't mind having Lizzie stay with you, would you? It's only right."

"Not at all, Mrs. Bennet. I actually have invited Lizzie to move in on several occasions but she never ceded.", Darcy answered while Lizzie leered menacingly at Darcy.

_"What an ass!_", she thought annoyed. He purposely said that because he knew her mother would bother her about it.

"Lizzie! How could you turn poor Darcy down? She can be so stubborn sometimes! Good luck with her, Darcy dear. If she acts up, you just gimme a call!"

Lizzie rolled her eyes. "Fine! I'll move in with Will! I was going to anyway! What difference does a week make?!", she replied irritatedly.

Darcy felt kind of guilty for putting her in a bad mood, so he did something unexpected. He put a hand on Lizzie's chin and brought her face toward his, stooped down, and kissed her very sweetly- in front of her parents! He wasn't one for public displays of affection (he had loathed being in a room with Bing and Jane at Netherfield for that very reason) but he honestly felt like the Bennets were family now, so he didn't even hesitate.

He felt Lizzie's brows, which were furrowed in annoyance, shift back to their normal positions.

He broke the kiss and said, "I am sorry if I upset you, Lizzie. I don't like to have you angry with me. Do you forgive me?"

The Bennets saw how Darcy treated their daughter and they saw how she acted around him, and they couldn't have picked a better man for their Lizzie. Mr. Bennet was especially proud. Lizzie always said she'd never marry for anything other than the deepest love and he was pretty sure they were on their way.

Lydia was also glad for her sister but fulfilled her duty as a bratty little sister and said, "Eww! Get a room, you two!". Her and Gigi's plan had worked. Before leaving, Lydia and Gigi tried to think of a way to make Lizzie move in with Darcy. They planned to bring the case to Mrs. Bennet. They didn't anticipate, however, that Lizzie would have decided to move in on her own.

Lydia texted Gigi the good news and she made sure she wasn't home when the couple arrived or when they got up in the morning. She wanted to give them some alone time, so she planned a girl's night with Fitz.

* * *

Lizzie and Darcy stopped by Lizzie's place to get all her stuff and then they made their way to the Darcy estate. When they got there, her things were taken to Darcy's room, which was now Lizzie's room, too. They spent the rest of the night making space and accommodating Lizzie's things into his- correction: their- drawers.

That night they slept wrapped in each other's arms, tired from traveling and happy that Lizzie didn't have to leave at night anymore. They felt good to have everyone know they were together; it felt official now. Their relationship had just gone to another level and both felt excited about the fact that they would get to do this every night for as long as they chose.

Monday morning, Lizzie woke up before Darcy. It was around 5am, and Darcy usually woke up at 6am to go for a run before getting ready for work.

She had to pee, as usual, and she was craving leftovers from her mother's cake. Before she left the room, however, she stared at her sleeping boyfriend as he often does with her.

"I don't remember if I've ever seen Will sleeping... He always wakes up first. He looks so carefree; younger even...", she thought before grabbing her phone. "I don't get to see this often, so let me just take a quick picture...".

Lizzie grabbed her phone, turned on the lamp that Darcy was facing, and snapped a quick picture. She smiled at how innocent he looked in the picture and set it as her background. She planted a soft kiss on his forehead before exiting the room.

That afternoon, Lizzie went over to Darcy's office for lunch. Lizzie was sitting comfortably on Darcy's lap while they perused the comments from the most recent video on Darcy's desktop computer.

Lizzie was laughing and shaking her head at the fact that the majority of the comments were about how she and Darcy probably had sex. Darcy was internally cringing at some of the more graphic comments.

"Look at this one; it has like a hundred thumbs up! 'Lizzie and Darcy totally 'binged'!' Ha! I guess it won't come as a huge surprise when we tell them about our baby."

"Now that you bring up the baby...", Darcy said with a smile, while rubbing Lizzie's belly "... you're ten weeks pregnant today."

"That's right!", Lizzie exclaimed. She had totally forgotten about that with all the commotion about Charlotte's unexpected upload. But Darcy had his handy, dandy calendar to remind him of things.

Darcy reached down into one of his desk drawers and pulled out one of the baby books he had ordered. He set the book down in front of them and opened it to a bookmarked page.

"At ten weeks, your baby...", he read. They spent the rest of the lunch break together, reading facts about their developing child.

Lizzie finally was able to track down Gigi and told her that she had moved in, but of course, Gigi was already aware and gave Lizzie a big hug.

* * *

Darcy held a staff meeting that evening. Before his staff went home for the day or retired to their rooms, Darcy wanted to introduce Lizzie to everyone. He gathered all the drivers, gardeners, cleaners, maintenance men, and all part-time workers in the front of the house.

"Good evening, everyone. I apologize for any inconvenience this meeting may have caused any of you-", Darcy said as he addressed all of the house employees. He was interrupted by mumbles of "It's no problem, Mr. Darcy!" or "It's perfectly fine, sir."

"-but I feel it is important that I formally introduce you all to my girlfriend, Ms. Elizabeth Bennet. She will be living here from now on and I would like you all to treat her as you would any member of the Darcy family."

Lizzie waved shyly at the staff. They all said variations of 'hello'. She then added, "Please, call me Lizzie. And don't be shy! Say hi if you see me around so I can learn your names!"

"Also, one additional piece of information that I will make you all privy to: Lizzie is carrying our future son or daughter, so I would appreciate it tremendously if you all could assist her if she looks like she's having trouble with something, even if she refuses. She happens to be very stubborn."

Before Lizzie could turn to give Darcy a playful punch on the arm, the crowd burst into congratulations for the pair and then Darcy concluded the meeting.

* * *

The next day, Darcy was swamped and couldn't meet with Lizzie for lunch. He had received an email that the location they had booked for Pemberley's third annual charity event was actually never confirmed and he had to do a video conference with the charity's board members and his Aunt Catherine so that they could figure out what to do. This was extra stressful because he and his Aunt Catherine had had a falling out since he last visited her at Collins & Collins.

Catherine DeBourgh thought that because she was older and more experienced, whatever business suggestions she made, Darcy should implement.

"I've been doing this since before you were born, darling. I know I am correct.", she would say. But Darcy wanted to expand and take risks with modernizing certain aspects of the company and he and his aunt were not in agreement. They bumped heads all the time, but this last argument left their business relationship (which had basically become their personal relationship since they only ever discussed Georgiana and business) shattered.

Darcy wanted to invest in the Domino application for mobile devices but his aunt thought it was a waste of money and time. He was one of the brains behind this idea and he was really attached to it, so he took his aunt's blunt criticisms of the project very personally. Suffice it to say they had an ugly spat and Mrs. DeBourgh left the offices pretty miffed.

"We have to move the date of the charity ball closer, Mr. Darcy. There aren't any other locales in the area spacious enough for the number of guests and they are all booked up for later on in the season.", said one of the board members.

"What dates do they have available? We would have to let the catering company and decorators and all the other people involved with this event know as soon as possible.", Darcy inquired.

"Well, they have the Saturday after next available. April 27th."

"Hmmm. That sounds familiar...", he thought while checking his calendar just to make sure.

"No, that date will not do. Is there no other date available?"

"That is the best option, sir. We want to give everyone enough time to prepare, and that is the latest available date we can host the event."

_"That's the same day as Lizzie's birthday! I don't want to be working on her birthday, I want to spend time with her. I'll have to talk to her about this..."_.

"Fine. If there is no other more convenient date, then it will have to do. And please, reserve the date for next year's function right away. I don't want a mistake like this to happen again."

"It wouldn't have happened if I would have been head of the charity's department...", Aunt Catherine said exaggeratedly before signing off of the video conference. Those were the first and last words she had muttered during the meeting. Darcy dreaded having to see her. She may be his last living blood relative besides Gigi, but that doesn't mean he has to get along with her.

* * *

Darcy sent out a mass email to all Pemberley staff and all the people on the event's list.

_'There has been a change of date for the third annual Pemberley Charity Fundraiser. The event has been moved up to the 27th of April. Official invitations will be mailed out soon. If there are any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to ask myself or any of the charity board members, whose contact information is posted below. Pemberley Digital apologizes for any inconveniences this change may have occasioned. Thank you._

_-William F. Darcy, CEO Pemberley Digital Enterprises_

* * *

Caroline was on the way to the Airport when she received this email. She had been abroad for the past couple of months, seeking inspiration for her interior remodel of Netherfield. Bing didn't agree to it yet, but he wouldn't say no to his big sister, would he? Especially when she had made up with Jane?

She had traveled to South and Central America and had a whole sub-tropical theme in mind, when her phone beeped and she had an email from Darcy.

_"Darcy?!"_, she thought, surprised. Darcy hadn't spoken to her in months. When he discovered that Caroline had set up the kiss between Bing's friend and Jane, he wanted nothing to do with her. He felt betrayed and really gullible for falling for her scheme.

Caroline missed her friend. He was always the one she could be snooty with around Bing. She also thought that they would inevitably end up together. So when she saw his name, she immediately opened the email.

"Oh, a mass message. The date is moved up. Ugh. I have to upgrade the delivery of my Dolce dress to express if I'm planning to wear it...".

After she had checked in, Caroline had time to spare until boarding for first class to Los Angeles would begin. So, she did what she hadn't done in months, and checked YouTube.

She caught up on all of Lizzie's videos. She was appalled when she saw Darcy make a fool of himself with the wig, and she nearly had a heart attack when she saw Darcy ask Lizzie out. She had tried her best to keep them apart but she failed miserably.

Then, she saw Darcy was in the thumbnail for the next video. She assumed it would be a description of their date but she just about died of mortification when she saw the most recent video. And the most thumbed up comment implying Lizzie and Darcy and 'sex' left her feeling faint.

_"Wowwww, Lizzie is really smart, I'll give her that. But no way will I allow him to be associated with the likes of her! Jane is appropriate and has actual talent when it comes to fashion, so I don't have to worry about her making my brother look bad. But Lizzie! Ughh!_"

During the long flight, she was really distressed about Darcy and Lizzie being together. She wasn't sure if she was welcome at his home, so she would confront him about this at the charity event.

* * *

**Thanks to FF user SOLYAHU. She's basically ghost writing this story! Lol**

**K, so dates. I don't want to confuse anyone so if you read this and are left wondering what the heck I just said, then forget you even read it. This is mostly for myself and anyone else who might be interested in dates. **

**Lizzie and Darcy's baby was conceived Monday, Jan 28 in my fic's world. She discovered she was pregnant when she was around 8 weeks on a Sunday so that was late March. This chapter takes place mid-April at 10 weeks prego. I think she'll give birth in early November (wow that's pretty far right?). But we'll make it eventually lol. I don't plan on going week by week , or anything like that. Some days will be long (like the Saturday that spanned the last 3 chapters lol) and sometimes I may jump weeks ahead to move the story along quicker because I'm writing this story by events, not really by a calendar. **

**I might just incorporate dates here and there just to give you guys a feel of where in year the story is taking place. I've gone past the date LBD finished, so let's see how the rest of the year and its holidays affect Lizzie and the story. Bare with me guys! **

**And thank you so much for sticking to the story! I never had a clear idea of how far I wanted to take this or how long I wanted to drag it out, so I'm really happy with how it's gone so far and I would really appreciate feedback! xoxo**


	16. Lizzie's Birthday Showdown

Darcy made his way to Lizzie's office after sending the email and explained the situation about the charity event being on the same day as her birthday.

"It's no big deal. Really! If it were up to me, Char and I would be curled up watching movies and eating Chinese food. We always hated it when our mothers joined forces to throw us a party."

"So you won't attend the function?"

"If you want me to go, then I will. As long as Charlotte can come, too. We were texting each other this morning about what we were gonna do for our birthday. Your event will give us somewhere to be.", Lizzie said smiling.

Darcy was relieved that Lizzie wasn't upset and that she would at least be entertained with Charlotte while he worked at the event. But he still wanted to do something to honor her birthday and he knew just what to do.

* * *

The week passed quickly and Friday was the last day of Lizzie's project. She decided to film a video marking the end of her independent study and the start of her new project.

She talked about her plan with Darcy last night before bed and he was very supportive. Darcy had just come from brushing his teeth and he was ready to go to sleep, when he found Lizzie was sitting on the bed indian-style, looking very excited about something.

He shot her a questioning look and sat down on their bed, across from her, mimicking her pose which made Lizzie laugh because his legs were so long. After she had finished laughing at him and had given him a quick apology kiss, he gave her a questioning look again, which prompted her to speak about what was on her mind.

"So remember when I mentioned plans for the future a little while back? Well, since you're a smart, successful businessman, I thought I could use your advice."

Darcy felt all proud and cocky for a few seconds due to Lizzie's praise. He got similar compliments all the time, but he liked that Lizzie thought highly of him.

"Alright. I will advise you on anything you like, my love."

"Uh uh. No 'my love'. Be as objective as you can, okay?"

Darcy nodded. He put his business face on and gestured for Lizzie to continue.

"So you know how my videos have hundreds of thousands of views, right? Well, several people have messaged me offering to back me if I start my own show.

"I've been thinking, and I want to continue making web content. It's so much fun and the interaction with the viewers is amazing. And I'd be putting my mass comm degree to in use. Communicating with the masses via web.

"My idea is to take costume theater to the next level. I'm thinking maybe I start a scripted show where people send me anecdotes and I act out their stories and upload them on a weekly 30-minute show. Scripted web shows are becoming more and more popular and I'd like to get in on it before the web is completely saturated with them.

"I'm already kind of popular on YouTube, ya know? Might as well use my influence for my own benefit. Right?"

Darcy was quiet for a few seconds and then started grilling Lizzie about the possible flaws in her business plan.

She had answers for everything.

"With my backers' money I can rent a location to shoot, hire actors and co-producers, writers, buy props, and cover everything I would need to do the show.

"And I'm thinking if it goes over successfully maybe I can sell DVDs, toys, shirts, apps, and other things fans would like. And if it goes extremely well, I could maybe put together a pilot for television. Who knows? The possibilities are endless!"

Lizzie was really excited. And Darcy thought the idea was innovative. It would be similar to what the Diaries were and her fan-base was growing more and more every day.

Darcy said, "Well, Ms. Bennet, I know it was never your intent to pitch your idea to me so that I should try to become one of these financial backers of which you speak, but how much are they offering you? I'll triple it. At Pemberley Digital we can set up a whole department around your show and-"

"No, William! That's not what I want. And don't get me wrong- I absolutely love Pemberley! Those napping pods? I was sold, ha. But in all seriousness, I would like to try this on my own. I don't want to be that girl who dates the boss. I don't want whatever success may come to me to be attributed to your company. I want to make a name for 'myself'. You understand, right?"

Darcy's face fell a little. He couldn't help it. His imagination ran wild with the possibility of them being a power-couple and having Pemberley be a family business that they would pass down to their kids, should they choose to become involved.

"Will?... Babe?"

He sighed and responded, "You know, I think I know some investors as well...", with a smile.

As Lizzie sat in her office, she acknowledged that this would be the last time she made a video here. She had grown very fond of Pemberley and although this would surely not be her last time visiting, (her baby-daddy owns the company; she's tied to it forever) it was still kind of sad.

"You guys see this room? This background that you've become so accustomed to? Well, say good bye to it 'cause I already have.

My name is Lizzie Bennet, and this is the last day of my independent study.

*Cue theme music*

"Yup! That's right, folks! My school project is done and I've turned it in on time, 'despite earlier setbacks with family issues', which means I can graduate next month!

"But just because that project is over doesn't mean I won't continue to upload vlogs! I will still post videos whenever I want to share something with you guys. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries will live on! Thank you so much for the support; I don't know what I'd be doing after graduation if it weren't for you.

"Also, I have a new project in the works that I will be telling you all about soon, so stick around for that.

"And to address the comments on Monday's video: Wow. You guys are very, umm, descriptive in what you think happened between William and I.

"I just wanted to update you guys on that front really quickly. Yes, I've moved in with him and we get along pretty well. You know how sometimes living with someone can make you hate them? Nope. Not us. Well, not yet, anyway.", she joked.

"Alright, let me wrap this up because I need to edit and upload this myself before five; and I don't wanna keep my ride waiting.", she said with a smile. "Talk to you all soon!"

* * *

Caroline watched the video as soon as it was posted and still couldn't believe how far Lizzie had gotten with Darcy.

_"The master of seduction. She must have him bewitched."_, she thought to herself after watching. But Caroline knew, deep inside, this wasn't true. She knew Darcy had been intrigued by Lizzie since their Netherfield days and she knew Lizzie Bennet had a certain charm about her that made her easy to like. Caroline would have kept her as a friend had she not thought Jane was bad news, and if Darcy's interest in her hadn't been increasing.

She wasn't in love with Darcy. Yes, she found him attractive and would sleep with him at the drop of a hat if he ever gave the slightest hint that he was interested, but she always thought they would eventually end up together. Societal rules of thumb indicated that the rich marry their own kind and Darcy was much too picky to settle.

She had known Darcy since he took over the company almost seven years ago. She was 21 and he was 20, and since her father was an investor in the company, her family was always invited to events and had access to most parts of the company. Her parents moved to upstate California, and left Pemberley, but the Lee siblings stayed in touch with Darcy; especially since Bing and Darcy studied at the same school for a few years.

_"Eight days until the charity event. Surely I can talk some sense into him."_

* * *

The weekend was spent pleasantly with Lizzie and the Darcys. Lizzie and Gigi went to the mall Saturday morning and Gigi took note of all the things Lizzie stared at for more than three seconds. She had no idea what to get Lizzie for her birthday.

Later in the afternoon, Darcy, who had been 'working', joined his two favorite girls for lunch. He had actually been searching for a birthday present for Lizzie. He knew she probably wouldn't want anything expensive like designer shoes or a purse or something, so he decided to find something she would find useful. He went to one store and walked around with one of the personal shoppers until he found the perfect gift. It was now safely hidden at home.

On Monday, week 11 of Lizzie's pregnancy was celebrated by herself, Gigi, Darcy, and Fitz with dinner at some fancy restaurant. But at night, the pair cuddled up and read facts for week 11 together. The rest of the week was busy for the happy couple, however. Lizzie was polishing up her final draft for the pilot episode of her new project so she could send a copy to the investors, and Darcy was busy with preparations with the charity event.

Friday rolled around and Charlotte's plane was scheduled to arrive at 2pm. Lizzie was driven to the airport and awaited her with the driver.

Charlotte came into view and Lizzie made a run for her. She hadn't seen her bestie in person in months!

"Char!"

"Lizzie!"

The two women hugged each other tightly and then Charlotte broke away and said, "Let me get a good look at you!"

Lizzie backed up and did a slow twirl for Charlotte, which was followed by squealing by the latter.

"Lizzie, pregnancy suits you. You look amazing! You have the pregnant-glow thing going on! I bet your mom is happy with the weight you've put on.", Charlotte said rubbing Lizzie's slightly pudgy belly.

The girls pulled up to the Darcy estate and Charlotte said, "Whoa!". She had been to Mrs. DeBourgh's house and was impressed, but Darcy's house was way more distinguished looking.

"I know, right? You get used to it, though.", Lizzie said as she led Charlotte inside and to the room that used to be hers.

That night, at dinner, Charlotte was formally introduced to Gigi and was reacquainted with Fitz.

"Hello, Ms. Lu. It's a pleasure to have you as a guest in our home.", Darcy said after arriving from work. Everyone was seated except Lizzie, who had begun to feel nauseous.

"Please, Darcy, call me Charlotte.", she said as they shook hands.

"Hey there, handsome.", Lizzie greeted Darcy with a smile, as she walked into the dining room.

He pulled Lizzie into a big hug and then with his hands on her belly, kissed her and her mouth tasted like mouthwash, so he asked, "Are you feeling ill?"

"I just felt nauseous. I'm fine now, don't worry."

And Charlotte felt her heart swell up with joy. She sooo knew Lizzie and Darcy had chemistry, but to see it in person made her want to yell, _"I told you so!_". You could literally feel the love radiating off of them.

After dinner, Darcy pulled Lizzie aside and gave her his credit card. She was about to protest, but he stopped her.

"I just want you to buy a nice outfit for yourself for tomorrow. That's all. It's for the charity event, which is formal attire, but also because it's your birthday and I want you to feel beautiful. Also, get Charlotte whatever she likes; it is her birthday, too. And do not worry about the cost. If you like something, do not even bother looking for the price tag. It would make me happy if you bought things for yourself."

"Okay. Thank you, Will. But don't expect me to spend like a thousand dollars, because I won't."

"You can spend however much you would like. That card has no limit."

Lizzie told Charlotte about the card and they made plans to go to the mall tomorrow morning. The charity event started at 6pm, so they'd have plenty of time.

* * *

_Saturday, April 27th, 2013. Lizzie (and Charlotte's) 24th birthdays. _

Lizzie awoke to a lovely handwritten birthday card placed on the empty pillow next to her. It was from Darcy and it was beautiful. Lizzie held it close to her chest and after a few seconds she whispered to her belly, "I love your daddy so much!"

Lizzie and Charlotte were driven to the mall and were first looking at clothing stores that they would usually shop at. But then, Charlotte dragged Lizzie to some of the more expensive designer stores.

"Lizzie. Your boyfriend has millions. He 'wants' you to spend his money. Don't disappoint the man! He said I could have whatever I wanted, and I am not the type to turn down such an amazing offer. I'm buying this dress right here. It costs US$1200. And I need some shoes and accessories. So buck up, Lizzie!"

"Fineeee."

Lizzie ended up buying a beautiful black gown (because black is supposed to be slimming, right?) that she would've never even considered purchasing before. It was a flowy dress that was not too tight so it could hide her little bump, but still sexy-ish because it showed off some cleavage.

"That baby has given you awesome boobs, Lizzie. I'm jealous.", Charlotte said after approving of the dress.

Lizzie also purchased a pair of silver high heels (not too high, though. She didn't want to risk falling and hurting the baby), a silver clutch, and a set of diamond earrings with matching bracelet and pendant.

She took Darcy's advice and didn't bother looking at the prices. She knew that combined, she and Charlotte spent over US$6000, but she probably wouldn't use his card again anyway, so she appeased herself with that. Hopefully she spent enough to make him happy.

* * *

Everything was going as planned and it was almost 6pm. Darcy quickly showered and dressed in the room he had secured at the hotel where the event was taking place. Before six, he was inside the hall, awaiting the arrival of the guests for the '_3rd Annual Pemberley Digital Charity Fundraising Extravaganza'._

One of the first to arrive was his Aunt Catherine so he put on a smile and greeted her. She was still kind of distant, but she had enough decorum to not ignore Darcy. What she wanted was an apology. He really didn't feel like she deserved one, but he decided to set aside his pride.

"You look lovely Aunt Catherine. I wanted to apologize for the way I behaved the last time we spoke...", he went on and on about how sorry he was and how he and Gigi missed her and when she was satisfied she gave him a hug and said she wouldn't interfere with his ideas again. "If you succeed, that's wonderful. If you fail, I will be the first to say 'I told you so'."

Caroline was always 'fashionably late', but this time she arrived a little earlier than usual so she could have a chat with Darcy.

She had just spotted him across the room when she noticed that he was staring at something. When she turned to where he was staring, she saw Lizzie Bennet looking gorgeous and every bit as elegant as any other woman of society.

_"What is this? Cinderella?"_, Caroline thought jealously.

Obviously, Darcy wouldn't pay attention to Caroline with Lizzie looking like that, so she would wait around until he was alone. Until then, she would loosen up a little with some drinks.

Lizzie and Charlotte walked in, looking around at all the people and feeling a little out of place. They made their way to where refreshments were being served and Lizzie ordered a glass of water and stared longingly at Charlotte's glass of bubbly champagne.

"Don't worry, Lizzie", said Charlotte after taking a long sip, "I'll drink for the both of us."

It was then that Lizzie felt a tap on her shoulder and when she turned around, she found a very excited looking Darcy.

He couldn't take his eyes off of her. She looked amazing and he was glad to see she had put his card to use.

"You look beautiful, my love. Happy Birthday.", he said with a big smile.

She hugged him really tight and tip-toed so she could plant a kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you, baby. For the lovely birthday card and all this.", she said gesturing to the dress and everything.

Darcy whispered something in Lizzie's ear which made Lizzie gasp then giggle and whisper something back, which caused Charlotte to clear her throat loudly and tell them to get a room.

Darcy was apologizing to Charlotte for ignoring her and wishing her a happy birthday as well, when Aunt Catherine strolled over.

"Ms. Lu?! Is that you?"

Charlotte rolled her eyes and turned around, "Hello, Mrs. DeBourgh! So good to see you again so soon!", and she stole Charlotte away.

Darcy stayed talking for a few more minutes but then saw a very important person he absolutely must speak to, so he was forced to leave Lizzie's side and get back to work.

Now was Caroline's turn to strike. She was going to confront Lizzie about Darcy.

"Well, well, well. Look who cleans up nicely! How many blowjobs did this outfit cost you?", Caroline said as she approached Lizzie. She was in her cups and she had always been a vulgar drunk.

"Excuse me?!"

"You heard me, tramp! You seduced Darcy. I doubt you bought that dress with your own money!"

"I didn't seduce anyone. Look, Caroline. Just leave me alone. I don't have time for your negativity."

"Listen here Lizzie Bennet, you don't belong with Darcy. Kapiche? You're just a gold digger. I had it all wrong. How could I possibly think the lovely Jane Bennet was possible of the type of thing you're doing to Darcy?"

"Are you really that delusional, Caroline? Darcy was not 'seduced'. He's with me because he loves me and I'm with him because I love him, too. It's as simple as that.

Do you really think Darcy is seduced? To believe that would be to believe that Darcy is foolish enough to fall for such a scheme. Darcy can make his own choices, he's a sensible man.

So which is it? Is Darcy in love with me or do you think he's stupid enough to be fooled?"

Darcy overheard Caroline and was going to step in to defend his girlfriend, but he was very amused with how Lizzie handled her and chose to enter while Caroline was at a loss of words due to Lizzie's argument.

"Caroline Lee, I would advise you to stop spewing such hateful lies before we have you accused of slander.", he said as he made his way to Lizzie's side and put his arm around her waist possessively.

"But Darcy! She's obviously manipulating you! I don't know how you supposedly fell in love with her, but she's not worth it. She's going to take all your money and run. I saw that you visited those detestable people again. How did survive the mother?!". Whenever Darcy used to mention something favoring Lizzie, she would always remind him of that mother of hers and that always seemed to work.

"Francine is a lovely woman, Caroline, and I will not allow you to speak ill of her in her absence."

"Ha! Don't try and act like a saint now, Darcy! You and I have said worse things that I'm sure you wouldn't want your darling Lizzie to hear."

A waiter dropped by with a tray of wine glasses. Darcy grabbed one and handed it to Caroline. He was being polite.

"None for you, sir, or the beautiful lady?", the young waiter asked, staring at Lizzie a little too much for Darcy's taste.

"No, thank you. She can't drink alcohol and I'm not going to enjoy it while she can't.", he said pulling Lizzie closer to him unconsciously.

"I'm not tying to act saintly.", he continued when the googly-eyed waiter was far enough. "I apologized to Lizzie long ago for the way I felt about her family. Now I've spent time with them and confirmed that they are wonderful people; who will one day be my in-laws."

Lizzie smiled at Darcy's kind words towards her parents. And suddenly, the institution of marriage didn't seem so unappealing. She accepted the fact that she and Darcy would probably get married one day and give the baby that was growing in her womb some little brothers and sisters. The only factor was when. They were going to be busy with a new baby and then Lizzie's new show and like always, Pemberley and its projects, so when would they squeeze in planning a wedding?_ "Don't get ahead of yourself, Bennet. One day at a time!"_

_"Darcy alluding to marriage with Lizzie? Has the world gone mad?!_", Caroline thought angrily.

"Ugh. Whatever. Suit yourself! After she bleeds you dry and you regain your senses, you know my number.", she said being throwing back her glass of wine in one gulp. "I need something stronger than that! Waiter!"

* * *

Caroline stalked away angrily and then watched as Gigi, who had apparently just arrived, went over to Lizzie and gave her a big squeeze. And then she quickly pulled away and said what looked like "Sorry, little one" while looking at what appeared to be the floor (actually it was Lizzie's stomach. Gigi was apologizing to the baby for hugging too hard). Caroline couldn't be sure; she was too far.

_"I wasn't ever able to get close to Georgiana... Why is it that she welcomed Lizzie with open arms even when Lizzie had badmouthed Darcy on the internet?"_

She was feeling sad and lonely, and all the alcohol made her want to pee, so she headed for the ladies' room. As she washed her hands, Caroline looked at herself in the mirror and started crying.

_"Why doesn't he like me?! I'm hot and I'm rich!"_, she thought, feeling defeated.

"How is it possible that Lizzie Bennet has conquered Darcy's heart so easily, when I've been trying for years?", she asked aloud.

Catherine DeBourgh stepped out of a stall and went to the sink next to Caroline. Caroline immediately began making herself presentable and was mortified at the fact that Darcy's aunt had witnessed her drunken self -loathing.

"Ms. Lee, is it?", Aunt Catherine asked while drying her hands.

"Yes. It's a pleasure to meet you again, Mrs. DeBourgh."

"Why are you so upset, dear? And I was not eavesdropping, I promise, but I could have sworn I heard the Darcy family name."

"You are right, Mrs. DeBourgh-"

"Please, call me Catherine. Mrs. DeBourgh is my business name."

"Catherine, I did mention Darcy, as in William Darcy, your nephew. It seems that he is infatuated with Elizabeth Bennet; you remember her, right? She is Charlotte Lu's friend that visited Collins & Collins last year-"

"Yes, yes. I know of whom you speak. Lovely girl. Anny-kins, my accomplished little doggy, took a liking to her but she never returned for another visit. Shame. So much potential. All she needs is a little training-"

"Well, Lizzie Bennet is not of our social standing. She is middle class whereas Darcy is a wealthy businessman. Girls like her love to get their mitts on rich men. It's all the rage now."

"Hmm. Yes, I've seen many men and women be robbed blind of their fortunes by people 'claiming to love them'. But I didn't get that vibe from that young lady-"

"She's decked out in a thousand dollar dress and has diamonds on. Catherine, don't you see? She convinced him to make her his girlfriend and he moved her in with him; that can only bring trouble!"

"No; I don't believe it. He would've told me something like this."

"I wouldn't be surprise if she told him not to tell you anything. She's a smart one."

"My word!"

"I'm more appropriate for him. I have my own money and I know how to behave in social settings. I should be the one dating him!"

"Hmm. Yes. You would be a good match, I suppose. Let me go have a word with my nephew."

"Wait!"

"No, no! I will not let him throw away my dear sister's fortune. She died asking him to care for Georgiana, and moving women into their home is a bad example! I will not allow it!"

* * *

Aunt Catherine stormed out and found Darcy with Lizzie, Charlotte, Gigi, Brandon, and Fitz They were all laughing at something Fitz said, when Catherine walked right up to Darcy and started scolding him in a hushed tone. She was a short woman who didn't even reach his chest, so she was looking up at Darcy and he was looking down at her confused as to why she was behaving like this.

_"I apologized to her did I not? What could she possibly find wrong with me now?",_ he thought annoyed.

"Slow down Aunt Catherine! What is the matter?"

"Her! I didn't even recognize her earlier when I came across Ms. Lu. _She's_ the new matriarch of my beloved sister's home? Why wasn't I told you had begun a relationship with her? I knew you to be reckless and impulsive with your little Domino project or whatever, but I will not have you desecrate my sister's home with a gold digger!"

She was getting loud and he didn't want to cause a scene, so he grabbed his Aunt roughly by the wrist , in his anger, and escorted her somewhere more private.

Everyone in the group was left shocked. Gigi moved to comfort Lizzie, who after a minute began to cry. Gigi and Lizzie led Lizzie to the ladies' room to avoid causing a scene.

On the way out, they passed Caroline, who felt kind of guilty about seeing Lizzie cry. She always saw Lizzie as this strong, opinionated woman and here she was, crying like a regular human being with feelings. Caroline was sobering up and she was starting to realize she was in the wrong. She should've never put Catherine against Lizzie and she shouldn't have insulted them the way she did earlier.

_"I'm always screwing up, aren't I? First with Bing and Jane and now with Darcy and Lizzie._", she thought ashamed.

* * *

Lizzie could put up with Caroline's accusations because she knew Caroline was just speaking out of jealousy, but when Darcy's only other relative is outraged with their relationship, Lizzie couldn't handle it. She didn't want to be the cause of a rift in his family.

Maybe it was the hormones that made her so emotional, because before, she would've stood up for herself and for her and Darcy's relationship. Or maybe it was because it was a family thing.

"Don't cry Lizzie!", Charlotte pleaded as she patted Lizzie's back.

Gigi added, "Aunt Catherine and Will have been fighting since last year, Lizzie! It's not you! It's your birthday! Please, don't cry!". She was frantic and felt so bad that Lizzie was upset.

"Look, I have your birthday present with me!"

Gigi pulled a little box out of her clutch and handed it to Lizzie.

Sniffling and wiping tears away, Lizzie accepted the box and opened it up. When she saw what was inside, she laughed.

Charlotte and Gigi looked at each other with relief.

Lizzie held up a silver necklace with a little red bowtie in the center. It was a small, thin necklace. Very simple and the bowtie held lots of sentimental value for Lizzie.

"Thank you so much Gigi! It's great!", Lizzie said smiling.

"My brother is wearing a red bowtie tonight, so you guys are matching! I need a picture of you two!", Gigi said excited.

"Here, let me take off this necklace and put on your new one.", suggested Charlotte.

With her little red bowtie necklace, Lizzie felt at peace again. She and Darcy have been through so much to get to where they are today. This was just another hurdle they would have to get over.

Meanwhile, Darcy had taken his aunt to his hotel room. She was still shouting and complaining all on the way there.

He was furious. He was not about to let his Aunt intervene in his love life, too. He took a few deep breaths before addressing his aunt.

"Aunt Catherine, Lizzie is my girlfriend and I intend to make her my wife someday. I will not let you speak about her disrespectfully. She is a part of my family now and I won't stand for this!"

He was pacing around the room to release some of his pent up rage.

"But how can you be involved with her, William. Think about your future! What prospects has she to bring to the table? None. She might be a lovely girl, but she isn't right for you! I'm only trying to warn you. Things like this happen all the time."

"Aunt, she is perfect for me. I see the future every morning when I wake up because Lizzie is right next to me. Aunt, I am in love with her and it took a long time to get her to feel the same way about me. I'm going to stay with her whether you like it or not."

"What is she going to do for a job, then? Surely she isn't going to be mooching off of you forever."

Darcy reminded his Aunt of Lizzie's internet success and told her of Lizzie's plans.

"And even if she did want to stay home doing nothing, I would not mind. As long as she's happy, I'm happy."

"This is preposterous thinking! She is not your future. You should get her out of your life while you still can."

Darcy scoffed at her and said, "Lizzie and I are bonded by more than just our love now, Aunt Catherine. It is impossible for me to erase her from my life, even if I wanted to. For she is carrying my son or daughter."

Aunt Catherine gasped and would have surely fallen and hit her head had she not been standing in front of the bed.

"She is WHAT?! Are you sure it's yours?"

"100% positive. Not a doubt in my mind."

"Surely this was her plan all along?! To trap you with child support!"

"No. She would never do something like that. Aunt, why are you so set against her now? You thought she was alright when you invited her for dinner that one time. She is not a gold digger and I am sure you hurt her feelings. So you have to choose: either you accept Lizzie as a part of the Darcy family or I won't see you anymore. And you won't be involved in the life of my child; my mother-your sister's- grandchild. "

Aunt Catherine never did like ultimatums, but this one was easy. She never had any kids of her own, what with her husband's death in an airplane crash. And she loved children. It was settled.

"Fine. I will go apologize to Ms. Bennet. I am sorry, William.", she said reluctantly.

"Apology accepted.", he said curtly and held the door for her.

The pair made their way back to the hall and Catherine made a formal apology to Lizzie in front of the whole gang. Whether it was sincere or not, Lizzie did not care. She learned not to hold grudges, what with the whole Lydia incident, so she accepted Catherine's apology.

"Please, call me Aunt Catherine if we're family now. And I heard about the bun in the oven. I wouldn't have suspected a thing. How far along are you?"

Lizzie smiled and said, "12 weeks on Monday.", and Aunt Catherine proceeded to put her hand on Lizzie's belly.

Caroline was still watching them from across the room, and although she couldn't hear what they said, rubbing a woman's belly is a universal sign for pregnancy. Since Caroline was sobering up, she put that together with the fact that she can't drink, Gigi's mention of a 'little one', and she attributed it to a really good push-up bra, but Lizzie's boobs were bigger.

_"Don't tell me she's pregnant?!"_, Caroline's jealousy and rage was reignited and she went for a couple shots of whiskey.

* * *

The fundraiser ended, and although Darcy was too distracted by Lizzie to schmooze and encourage the guests to donate, they were able to top last year's grand total.

"Thank you all for this successful fundraiser. You've all helped make a really big difference tonight. Before we go, though, I'd like to felicitate my beautiful girlfriend, Elizabeth, on her birthday today. Happy Birthday, Lizzie." Most people were shocked because Darcy was never seen with a woman. A number of them probably thought he was gay until now.

People stared at her and congratulations were expressed, but she only had eyes for Darcy. This night had been an emotional whirlwind, but she had her baby and she had him, so she considered this her happiest birthday yet.

When the couple was reunited, Lizzie gave Darcy a huge kiss to express her happiness at that present moment.

"I am really sorry about Caroline and my aunt and-", he admitted.

"Sshhh! Let's forget about it! I just wanna go home."

Home. Darcy remembered the days where he had dreamed that Lizzie would call his home hers as well, and he still hadn't gotten over the fact that his wish came true.

"Wait, before you leave, I have to get a picture of you two! You guys look awesome! And you're matching! Super cute!", said Gigi pointing to Lizzie's necklace, causing Darcy to laugh.

Gigi snapped a picture and immediately posted it on twitter for the fans.

The rest of the crew went out to a night club to celebrate Charlotte's birthday, while Lizzie and Darcy went home.

They helped each other strip from their formal attire, Lizzie took off everything but her little bowtie necklace and asked Darcy to the same so that they could stay matching.

Lizzie got some amazing birthday sex, which was desperately need after the day's events. While cuddling afterwards, Lizzie said, "This day couldn't possibly get any better.", and sighed contentedly.

"Actually, I have one more present..."

"Will! You didn't have to do that."

"But I wanted to. And don't worry, this gift is for the both of us, really. Now close your eyes."

He went in the closet, fumbled around for a minute, and came back with Lizzie's present.

"Now this is going to be cold. Don't worry, and keep you eyes closed, okay?"

"Mmhmm...", Lizzie said with a hint of suspicion. _"What is this man up to?"_

Within a few seconds, Lizzie did feel something cold on her belly. It felt like a gel. Then she felt something running across the gel.

_"Is he giving me some kind of massage?"_, she thought and then she heard a really rapid heart beat getting louder and louder.

"Can I open my eyes?"

"Yes, you may open them. Happy Birthday, Lizzie. From baby and me."

Lizzie gasped and then started crying happy tears. Darcy had bought Lizzie a little machine that detects the baby's heart beat. They spent the next half hour just listening.

"Thank you so much, William. Seriously. This has been the best birthday ever.", she sniffled. Her face was all pink and under her eyes were puffy from tears, but she couldn't have been more beautiful to him, lying there naked with her little bowtie and ultrasound gel on her pudgy belly.

* * *

**Two chapters tonight because it's been a while! Hope you enjoyed! And please excuse any mistakes or typos. I'm uploading from my iPod.**


	17. The Scare

The Monday after Lizzie's birthday, Lizzie and Darcy attended her 12-week check-up and everything was running smoothly. They were told everything was fine and that Lizzie was finally out of the woods in regards to risk of miscarriage.

Lizzie sighed in the passenger seat of Darcy's car as they drove from the clinic, prompting Darcy to ask if anything was wrong.

"No, Will, just the opposite! Everything's going perfectly. And I'm so relieved the baby is okay!... Every time I go to the doctor, I fear that they're gonna give me some bad news."

Darcy gave her _the look_. The look he's been giving her lately every time she says something pessimistic or negative. It said _'Shut up Lizzie. Everything's going to be fine. Don't worry.'_

So she threw her hands up in defeat. "I know, I know. Everything is fine. Don't worry. Blah Blah…".

Her moods had started going all over the place again. Now instead of crying over everything, she'd get irritated over nothing.

* * *

Weeks flew by for the couple and it was almost time for Lizzie to head home for graduation, but not without some problems.

The plan was to go home a week before graduation to get ready and spend quality time with her family; but no way was Darcy was going to let her fly alone after their little scare.

Just a couple weeks after their 12-week check up, when Lizzie was about 14 weeks pregnant, Lizzie experienced a dull aching in her lower abdomen. She had finally found a co-producer for her show that was to her satisfaction and was on the phone setting up details for their first in-person meeting, when she felt the ache. It felt almost like the beginnings of menstrual cramps. It wasn't exactly painful but it was a bit uncomfortable.

As soon as she hung up with her new co-worker, she ran straight to the bathroom to check if she was bleeding. _"No spotting. Thank God."_, she thought to herself. At their last visit, the doctor had told her that she should call her immediately if she started bleeding.

She went about the rest of the afternoon as she normally would, except she would make sure to check for blood every time she used the bathroom. _"It was probably nothing."_, she concluded by the time Darcy got home for lunch. _"No need to alarm him for no reason."_

They decided to go out for lunch- somewhere really quaint and romantic that they had been to only a couple of times. Aside from the fact that they were going to be parents, they were also still dating and getting to know each other, so they took every chance they had to go on little dates. While Darcy was giving the waiter their order, Lizzie stilled at the sudden ache she felt. Again, it wasn't exactly painful, but it was more intense than before.

"Excuse me, Will. I'm gonna go to the rest room.", she said to Darcy, who hadn't noticed her little 'episode'.

Again, no blood, so she didn't say anything.

"My love, would you care for a walk in the park?", Darcy asked as they were finishing up their lunch. "I haven't got any pressing matters at the office, and frankly, I'd rather spend time looking at your fine eyes than my computer screen."

Lizzie accepted his compliment with a smile and agreed to a walk. After finishing up their meals and paying, they were off.

Hand in hand, they strolled through a nearby park, enjoying each other's company and discussing Lizzie's preparations for graduation.

"I want to buy the plane ticket soon. I genuinely miss my family... even my mom! I would really like to go this weekend. I know my graduation isn't until next weekend but that extra time with my family before the big day would be nice. And I know you're busy all next week and can't make it until Thursday…"

"Yes... I'll make sure to buy your ticket as soon as I get to the office.", Darcy answered, trying to mask his disappointment. He knew it was foolish to feel sad to be apart from her for a week, especially when it was to see her family, but he couldn't help it. They'd been living together for about a month now, and Darcy had gotten extremely accustomed to seeing Lizzie everyday.

His voice went from relaxed to business-tone, so Lizzie could tell he was affected by her decision. "I know we've just moved in together, and it's not that I need a break or anything like that, and it's not that I won't miss you-", she said before Darcy interrupted her.

"It's fine, Lizzie. I understand. I really do. It would be wrong of me to try to keep you all to myself. I'll just miss you that's all.", he said with a small smile. _"Miss. That's an understatement."_

Lizzie tugged at the hand she held, causing him to stop walking and look at her.

"Hey, Will... I love you. You know that, right?", she said with conviction. They've had too many misunderstandings and she wanted to make it crystal clear to him that she meant it.

"I do. And I love you, too.", he replied with equal conviction.

Lizzie smiled and tip-toed to give him a quick kiss, which turned out to be not so quick. Public display of affection was more Bing and Jane's area, but sometimes they got a little carried away. They were brought back to reality by a conservative-looking old lady that was sitting at a bench nearby, who was clearing her throat loudly and unnecessarily.

When they broke away from each other, the old lady went, "Hmmmph!". And when they got far away enough, Lizzie burst into giggles and Darcy laughed heartily beside her.

"This would be great for the vlog! The viewers would love to hear about how we made out in front of an old lady! Ha!"

* * *

As they made their way back to the car, Lizzie felt the ache again and this time, it really hurt. It was sharp and caused her to double over in pain.

"Lizzie?! What's wrong?"

"I've been getting these aches and pains on and off all day, but this one really hurts. And it still hurts. All the other times it went away quickly.", she replied worriedly, still doubled over.

Darcy picked Lizzie up in his arms, and carried her to the car. He quickly called and arranged for an emergency appointment at the clinic before even leaving the parking lot.

Lizzie's eyes were closed and her hands were low on her belly, rubbing where it hurt.

Darcy could only stroke her hair and rub her belly at red lights, so he felt really helpless. He wanted to make her pain go away. Lizzie on the other hand, felt relieved in a way. Sure, she was scared something was going terribly wrong with the baby, but it felt good to have someone to share that fear with. She was glad she had someone to cede control to when her life got a little crazy. It felt good to know that from now on, she was no longer just Lizzie. She was half of Lizzie and Will.

When they were getting close to the hospital, Lizzie's pain began to fade.

"I feel better, babe. Maybe it was just me being sensitive or something.", Lizzie claimed. She knew the smart thing would be to get checked out anyway but she was afraid to go in and have them tell her that their baby was no longer alive.

Darcy disliked the fact that Lizzie was in pain, but he was not particularly alarmed. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he just wasn't afraid that anything had happened to their child.

"Maybe this is my fault, Will. I do have thoughts from time to time about how my life would be right if I wasn't pregnant. Maybe I brought this on myself."

He gave her _the look_ and added, "Don't be ridiculous, Elizabeth."

"But what if?! I've been so blessed with _you_ and this _baby_ and _everything_ and I haven't really appreciated any of it as much as I should've.", she responded, with a thin line of tears trickling down her face.

And then, it dawned on Darcy why he is not worried. It's the word_ blessed_ that Lizzie used. Of course he feels blessed. After all the ups and downs he had experienced in the past, all the loss, all the evils of his jealous 'friends', all the struggles to stand his ground in business, all the heartache of unrequited love – it all bore fruit and he knows with all certainty that they earned their happiness and this sort of tragedy can't 'just happen' to them.

Darcy's heart exploded with happiness but he kept his focus on Lizzie. He didn't speak about his epiphany; he just simply replied with earnest in his eyes. "You know, I am absolutely certain, deep in my heart, that everything is going to be alright. We'll have the most beautiful baby, you'll see.", he declared. Maybe it was naïve to think like this, but he did. He had no fear at all.

Lizzie looked at Darcy's placid expression and calm demeanor and wondered how the hell he isn't freaking out right now. And then she starts to wonder why _she_ is freaking out. _"I'm not bleeding. When we went to the check-up a few weeks ago, the doctor said everything was fine. And she said miscarriage was much less likely. And I haven't done any rigorous physical activity that could harm the baby… maybe this is… normal? I mean, I've never been pregnant before so of course things are gonna happen that I've never experienced… This is what we get for skipping the past couple of weeks of baby facts!"_

Lizzie laughed to herself and then said, "Thanks, Will."

Darcy had no idea what he was being thanked for or what she was laughing at, but he was glad to see a smile on her face.

* * *

**I hope you guys enjoyed this. I'm soooo sorry I took forever to post a new chapter. I was in a writing funk. Like I wasn't in the mood to write even though I had some lovely ideas to work from (shout out to FF user SOLYAHU!).**

**The next chapter is already written for the most part so that should be up in a few days. I'm back guys! Thank you to everyone who's still reading! Reviews are always welcome. ;)**


	18. I Feel Safe With You

When they got to the clinic, they were schooled on what was going on in Lizzie's uterus.

"You see, Elizabeth, in order to accommodate the growing baby, your uterus has to expand. A baby can't grow in there without some space. As your uterus continues to grow, there's going to be some discomfort due to stretched ligaments. It's stretching out quite a bit in only 9 months. Think of it as a growth spurt of the uterus. Nothing to worry about.", the doctor reassured them, but went ahead and used the ultrasound machine so that the couple could see that their child was fine.

"Your next appointment was supposed to be your 16-week appointment, so will I still have you scheduled for the last Monday in May? Or-"

"Actually, I graduate from grad school the weekend prior to our next appointment and I'm not going to be in town then..."

"Oh! Congratulations! Well then, whenever you return, feel free to call the office to schedule your check-up. I think we may be able to determine the gender next time.

"We'll finally be able to call the baby _him_ or _her_!", Lizzie said with excitement, which Darcy acknowledged with a quick squeeze of her hand.

They walked hand in hand to the car, with new ultrasound pictures of the baby. The next time they visited the doctor, they would know whether they were having a son or a daughter. They could not wait.

"I told you everything would be fine.", Darcy said as they drove away.

"You just couldn't resist saying 'I told you so', could you?"

Darcy just shrugged in response with a smug smile on his face. The ride home was a quiet one, because both had a lot on their minds. But after dinner, Darcy was finally able to translate what he was feeling into words.

* * *

Lizzie and Darcy were sitting on a big blanket spread out on the grass outside, looking at the darkening sky. They were a good distance away from the house and were shielded by a row of tall hedges. It was almost completely dark, save for the dim outdoor lighting, but in the distance you could still see an orange hue in the sky. It was a very pretty thing to look at. _"But not as pretty as Elizabeth…"_.

Darcy cleared his throat, as he often did when he was nervous, and then lay down with his hands beneath his head and stared up at the sky.

"I don't want you to go home just yet."

"Huh?"

"It's just that with what happened today, I know I would feel restless if you were to go through something like that again and I wasn't there to at least comfort you. I've never been covetous and I don't want you think of me as being possessive, but I don't want you to travel without me… ever. I should be with you every time, just in case." He was afraid Lizzie would think that he thought her incapable of fending for herself.

"Will, I'm perfectly capable of traveling alone with this baby-"

"I know it's just-"

"But, I wouldn't mind if you tagged along wherever I went."

"So you're not going to leave this weekend? Because you know I can't leave Pemberley until next Thursday afternoon. And then your graduation is that Saturday. So you'd only have a day with your family before-"

"I know. That's okay. I'll just stay a week afterwards. No biggie. I'll find something work-related to do. I'll wait for you."

"Well if you need something to do, you're always welcome at Pemberley. I'd like for people to become accustomed to you being a presence there. You can actually bounce some tips and ideas off of the –"

"Will… I told you I want to make a name for myself-"

"Just hear me out. You can just consult with the wardrobe department, production facility, and creative writers at Pemberley. I am aware that you managed to charm everyone in those departments while you were shadowing, so it would just be you, an old colleague, asking them for advice. _'No biggie'_."

Lizzie laughed at his use of a colloquialism and then nodded. "Fine. I'll go poke around at Pemberley until we leave."

"Well, that was easier than I expected."

"Yes it was. For very simple reasons. Number one: I know I'd miss you terribly, even though you'd join me shortly. And two: I feel safe with you. I know that I can count on you not to freak out when something happens. Like today. You handled the situation and you made me feel better without even trying. So yes, William, I would gladly delay my trip so that we may travel together.", she said smiling down at him.

Lizzie had used many adjectives to describe how she felt about their relationship since they'd started dating, but this was a first. He made her feel _safe. _A surge of masculine pride spread throughout his body. He had always been over-protective of those he cared about, but he'd never been told he made someone feel safe.

He sat up so he could be face-to-face with Lizzie. He kissed her gently at first and then the kiss grew more intense as he laid her down on the blanket they were sitting on. He was hovering over her, going down to kiss the spot where his baby boy or girl was growing and then kissing his way up to her neck, enjoying Lizzie's giggles along the way.

"So I make you feel safe?", he asked, his voice already husky with desire, as he kissed Lizzie's hypersensitive spot right behind her ear.

She moaned softly at his touch and realized this was just what she needed. After the tidal wave of feelings she'd ridden today, she needed a release that was more cathartic than just crying.

She pulled Darcy down so she could whisper something in response to his question. Whatever it was she said was potent enough to make Darcy forget they were outside and they proceeded to make love under the night sky.

The pair was absolutely giddy and filled with adrenaline for having done something so spontaneous.

"First, we make-out in front of old ladies and then we have sex in the _backyard_, when there are still people working around the estate! Babe, what has gotten into us?!", Lizzie exclaimed with amusement on their way back indoors.

"Next thing you know we'll…", and Darcy chose to whisper the rest of his sentence because they had entered the house.

Lizzie gasped and giggled and then hit Darcy playfully on the arm.

Gigi appeared in the hall, when they were on the way to their bedroom.

"Where the hell were you guys?! I've been searching for you two for almost an hour!", Gigi asked.

"We were… looking at stars in the backyard…", Lizzie answered.

"Well, Aunt Catherine called and said she was going to drop by Pemberley tomorrow…", Gigi said warily.

Darcy was puzzled as to why his aunt would be visiting. "Did she give a reason for her visit?"

"Nope. She just said, _'Georgiana, sweetie, I can't seem to get in touch with your brother. Will you let him and Elizabeth know that I'm going to Pemberley tomorrow?'_".

"Hmmm. This will be… interesting.", Lizzie thought aloud and both Darcy siblings silently agreed. They remembered all too well how Catherine De Bourgh had treated Lizzie at the charity event a few weeks ago. She apologized, though, so all was forgiven- but not forgotten, hence the slight anxiousness they all felt about tomorrow.

* * *

Lizzie, Darcy, and Gigi all rode to Pemberley together. Darcy drove with Lizzie in the passenger seat and Gigi in the back. They were brainstorming ideas as to why Catherine De Bourgh would make a spur of the moment trip to Pemberley.

"And she didn't give a specific time of arrival?", Darcy asked as he parked in the CEO space.

"Nope. She just said 'tomorrow'. For all we know, she could be here right now."

Lizzie and Darcy shared a look of mutual panic for a second.

_"Oops. Probably shouldn't have said that…", _Gigi scolded herself.

They entered the building with their guard up, but were soon relieved to discover there was nobody waiting for them.

Everyone went their separate ways, and they didn't reconvene until it was lunch time.

When Lizzie came up from the wardrobe department on the third floor, Gigi was already in Darcy's office. Lizzie waved to Darcy's secretary, who had determined long ago that Lizzie and Darcy were an item.

When then door opened, both Darcys looked, but instead of their Aunt, there stood Lizzie. She made her way to Darcy, who was still sitting at his desk, and gave him a quick kiss before making herself comfortable on his lap.

"Still nothing?", Lizzie asked.

"Nope. I say we head out to lunch. I'm starving.", Gigi suggested.

"No, let's stay in the building, in case she shows up.", Lizzie countered.

"How about we-", Darcy began, but was interrupted by the opening door.

There were only select people allowed to just waltz into Darcy's office without the secretary needing to phone Darcy first: William Darcy, Georgiana Darcy, Fitz Williams, Elizabeth Bennet, and Catherine De Bourgh.

"Ah, just the three I was looking for.", she said after closing the door.

* * *

Everyone stayed quiet and stared at her. Lizzie felt particularly awkward because she was sitting her nephew's lap.

"Well, aren't you all going to greet me? I swear this generation has no manners."

They all mumbled variations of "Good afternoon Aunt Catherine."

"That's more like it."

"So what brings you to Pemberley so unexpectedly, Aunt?", Darcy asked.

"I know this is a bit out the ordinary, but I have a request to make and I hoped that if I showed up in person and asked, I wouldn't be rejected."

"And what might that be?"

"I would like to request an audience with Elizabeth. I've made reservations for lunch at the hotel I'm staying at, and I'd like for you to join me.", she declared with a hint of uncertainty. Was she scared Lizzie would say no?

"Huh? Me?", Lizzie asked dumbfounded. _"Why would she want to have lunch with me?"_

"I am still filled regret and shame at my behavior towards you when we last met. And I'd like to spend some time with you so you can see I'm not really an old witch. I can be quite lovely, you know.", Catherine replied with a little chuckle at the end.

"Umm… sure?", Lizzie accepted as she disentangled herself from her stunned boyfriend.

"I'll take good care of her and the little package, don't worry, William. If you don't feel comfortable with me just yet, Elizabeth, we can bring Georgiana along."

"Of course, Aunt Catherine.", Gigi answered obediently, and made her way to her aunt's side.

Before leaving the room, Lizzie turned back to Darcy and mouthed _"Wish me luck!"_ before closing the door behind her.

A few seconds later, the door opens again and in walks Fitz with a very confused facial expression.

"What was _that_ all about?", he asked, referring to the sight of Aunt Catherine walking towards the elevator with Gigi and Lizzie on either side of her.

Darcy filled Fitz in on the ultimatum he had given Catherine the night of the charity event.

"I told her if she did not accept Lizzie, she couldn't be involved in my child's life. And since my baby would have been my mother's first grandchild and everything… well, you know. She immediately came around. I believe this is her trying to make amends…"

"Whoa. Hopefully all goes well… and I'm sorry, bro, but I'm starving. Are we gonna eat lunch or what? Lizzie and GGD will fill us in later."

* * *

**Yup! Aunt Catherine and Lizzie have a lunch date. What proposition will she have for our pregnant protagonist? Find out next chapter.**

**Notice that these chapters are relatively short compared to some of my previous ones. I'm trying to keep them short so I can update more often and get us to the birth of this kid before November actually arrives in real-life. Oh, if you didn't read my note on one of the previous chapters, Lizzie is going to give birth around early November in this fic. Right now we're in mid May. I'll update soon. Thanks for reading!**


	19. A Whole Lemon?

**Seeing as CdB is their only relative, I wanted some Lizzie-CdB bonding.**

* * *

Lizzie sat quietly in the car as Catherine de Bourgh talked to Gigi about something school-related but thankfully the ride was not too long. They arrived at the fancy hotel and made their way to its restaurant, where Catherine had reservations.

"Liz, dear, you haven't said a word. I know you probably aren't too eager to like me after what occurred, but I truly am sorry. Come now, tell me about this new project you're working on."

"Did Will tell you about it?"

"Oh heavens, no. I haven't been in contact with any of you since the charity event. But, I asked Collins about you and he led me to your YouTube channel and-"

"You watched_ all_ of the videos?", Lizzie asked nervously. She remembered the times she made fun of Catherine and Anny-kins.

"Yes. And I must say your 'costume theater' is quite entertaining!", she laughed. "You make a better William than my nephew!"

Lizzie just smiled_. "Who hasn't seen my videos?!"_

Gigi was texting Fitz and her brother what was going down with Lizzie and Catherine.

_So far so good. Aunt C has seen her vlog. She seems amused._

_-Gigi_

"I saw the most recent video where you told your audience you had something in the works and I'm interested. As you well know from your friend Ms. Lu and your time at Collins&Collins, I am a venture capitalist. I have exceptional expertise in building a business from nothing and I know more of the risks associated with starting a new company. Maybe I can be of some assistance."

"It's okay, Ms. De Bourgh-"

"Please, call me Catherine or Aunt Catherine. We're family now, are we not?"

"Okay, _Catherine_. But I already spoke to Will about it and I told him I didn't want his name anywhere near my project. I want to be recognized for my work and not because the Darcy name helped me out."

"Oh don't be so paranoid, Liz! I'm not trying to label your new project as a De Bourgh start-up. I just want to give you my honest opinion."

Lizzie sighed. "Okay, so what I'm thinking is to take costume theater to the next level…"

Five minutes into their conversation and Gigi couldn't stand it. She was bored out of her mind. And she had to pee.

She excused herself but neither Lizzie or Aunt Catherine seemed to notice.

_"Wow ,I feel like a third wheel on a date_.", Gigi thought to herself as she made her way to the bathroom.

* * *

While she was gone, the waiter came by to take their orders.

Catherine ordered for herself and since Gigi wasn't there, she ordered for her as well.

"Georgiana has a fine taste in food. It runs in the family, you know.", Catherine boasted. But what Lizzie had interpreted as being haughty back when she dined at Rosings, was now interpreted as pride.

Catherine de Bourgh was a snob, no question about that, but she wasn't condescending in a malevolent way. She just wanted the best for everyone around her and was proud of her family.

The things Catherine had said about Lizzie still stung, but she could see herself getting over that quickly. Catherine only vocalized what a lot of other 'people of society' would be whispering about her and Darcy's relationship anyway, so hearing from someone who actually mattered would make it easy later on if people gossiped.

"Liz? Elizabeth, are you going to order?"

"Huh? Oh, I'm sorry. I'll uh, just have a chicken caesar salad. I'm not really in the mood for much right now."

"Nonsense! Bring her the salad and a serving of this-", Catherine said to the waiter, pointing at some pasta dish on the menu.

"My future little niece or nephew is growing and I will make sure that he's well fed- at least when with me.", she smiled. "Now where were we? Ah yes. You were telling me about how you've already found your co-producer…"

And they continued their conversation about Lizzie's idea, which was received with very little criticism, much to Lizzie's surprise.

"…with a few adjustments here and there, it should work out splendidly. My, my what a gold mine of creativity I missed out on when you refused to work with Collins.", Catherine commented.

"Thank you, Catherine. I really appreciate the advice.", Lizzie said before sipping the last of her water.

"Do you need a refill, Liz, dear? Excuse me, I need some more water here!"

"Yes ma'am? What can I get for you?", asked a waitress. She appeared younger than Lizzie but older than Gigi.

"We would like some mineral water, please."

"And a lemon!", Lizzie added. She was craving something a little sour all of a sudden.

The waitress lifted one eyebrow in annoyance.

"You want mineral water… and a whole lemon?", she asked Lizzie with a slight tinge of attitude. She was sick of all these weird requests rich people have, even if a lemon was nothing compared to bringing out a basin with warm water and towels for a table of six to wash their hands. _"I am a waitress, not a servant."_

"Yes, please."

"Would you like it sliced or in halves or…?", she continued sarcastically.

"In halves would be fine, thank you. And I suggest you be swift with our request and stop being so snarky. When a pregnant woman asks for something, it should be done- no questions asked! Now run along.", Catherine snapped at the waitress.

"I swear, the quality of service is nothing like it used to be! Nowadays they hire anybody. If I didn't believe that that young woman would be out on the street without the meager pay this job offers her, I would file a complaint immediately. That much sass is not needed in the customer service industry... And to act rude with a member of _my_ family! Hmmph! The nerve!", Catherine rambled mostly to herself. She reminded Lizzie of her mother in that regard. Her mother always has to have something to say, and if no one wants to lend her their ear, she'll say it aloud anyway.

Lizzie was kind of shocked. All that just because the girl got rude with _her_? And Catherine really considers her a member of the family? Lizzie felt a sense of relief. Relief at the fact that she was now positive she and Catherine could put their past behind them.

The waitress returned with the mineral water and two lemons, each sliced in half.

"My apologies if I came across as anything but respectful. And might I add that if the baby ends up looking like its mother or grandmother, it's going to be one cute baby! May you have good health and happiness with your pregnancy, ma'am, and if you need anything else, please don't hesitate to ask.", the waitress said with a smile, trying to redeem herself.

As soon as she walked away, Lizzie and Catherine looked at each other dumbfounded.

"Does she think you're my…?", Lizzie asked.

"I believe so…", Catherine nodded.

And then they burst out laughing. Had Catherine seen herself engaging in such unlady-like guffawing, she would've reprimanded herself. But it was Gigi who stumbled upon the sight, and like always, she whipped out her handy-dandy camera phone and snapped a pic of Lizzie and Catherine laughing, with Catherine's hand affectionately on Lizzie's forearm.

"Hmm-hmm!", Gigi cleared her throat as she approached the table. "What's so funny?"

They explained the situation to Gigi and Catherine added, "As if I look old enough to be a _grandmother_! Ha!"

Gigi was glad they were distracted enough not to ask where she had gone. She had fallen asleep on the couch in the ladies' room! How embarrassing!

Their food arrived and the rest of their lunch was pleasant. Gigi loved what her aunt had ordered for her and Lizzie was able to finish off both the salad and the pasta dish.

"You see? I know what I'm doing.", Catherine gloated about her excellent ordering skills.

When their meal came to an end, Catherine asked Lizzie to stick around a little while longer, if she didn't have any plans.

"Sure, I'll stay. Is that okay with you, G?"

"Definitely! I'll just go back to Pemberley. I'll see you later, Lizzie! Bye, Aunt Catherine.", Gigi said with a hug to both women, and exited the hotel. Catherine's driver was waiting out front already.

* * *

Lizzie and Catherine went up to Catherine's suite and there they wanted to shy away from business and talk about other things, like the baby, but not before Catherine made Lizzie an offer.

"Liz, have a seat. The couches here are quite comfortable."

"Thanks.", Lizzie said as she sat down next to Catherine in the suite's living room.

"I wanted us to discuss something other than business, but before we leave that topic behind I have a proposal."

"Okay…"

"How would you like to rent out one of my studios for your show? It's not exactly a studio per se. It is an old building that I had fixed up. It has an industrial look to it. It's spacious. You have plenty of space for shooting and editing and offices for your employees… And I haven't had much use for it since I haven't sponsored a project in San Francisco in many, many years. What do you say? First six months are free!"

"Wow, Catherine. That's really nice of you but-"

"This is strictly business, Liz. I offer this same deal to start-ups that I believe have potential. That's what I did for Collins. And it doesn't hurt that the building is in the middle of San Francisco. Great location… close to Pemberley... You've already said no to me once, Elizabeth. I want to be a part of this. Since you don't want my family's influence to help you, the least you could do is let me provide you with a decent base of operation for a good price."

Lizzie thought it over very quickly and it was an offer she couldn't refuse. It just meant she was that much closer to realizing her dream.

"I accept.", Lizzie said with a smile.

"Perfect! I'll have someone send you the paperwork!... I can't believe I once thought you weren't prepared for life! All this initiative! But now on to more important matters. Tell me of the baby! Am I to have a niece or nephew?"

"We don't know yet, but we find out next visit…"

Catherine went on and on asking about Lizzie's life and family and everything she wasn't interested in before. But Lizzie turned the tables on her.

"So what about you, Aunt Catherine?", Lizzie asked, genuinely curious about this grand woman's past.

Catherine smiled at the new title she'd earned. Lizzie now called her Aunt. "I'd rather save that conversation for another time, dear."

"Alright then… so what about the little hairless snaggletooth?", Lizzie asked, jokingly referring to Annie-kins.

Catherine tensed and then teared up a little.

"What's wrong?", Lizzie asked, reaching over to put a hand on Catherine's shoulder.

After a big sigh, Catherine replied, "Annie-kins is no longer with us. She passed a few weeks ago. It was the asthma that finally got to her. If she were alive, I would've brought her along with me. She's always at my side, you know. Or at least, she _was_."

A lone tear fell from her right eye and she wiped it only after it had reached her jaw.

"I'm so sorry! I had no idea…"

"No one knows, save for those who work in my house. She's buried at Rosings."

According to Darcy, Gigi, and Fitz, that dog had been like a child to Catherine. And from what Lizzie witnessed during her visit to Rosings, she would say that the loss of that dog must have been heart-breaking. Maybe this caused her change of heart? Could the loss of the only family she interacted with on a daily basis be what inspired this need to get closer to Lizzie and in turn, Darcy and Gigi?

"Enough with the sad talk. It probably isn't good for the baby! Let's get you back to my nephew."

When they got downstairs, the driver was waiting in the front.

"Alright then, Liz. You don't mind if I call you that? I've gotten so used to it."

"It's okay, Aunt Catherine.", she smiled.

They hugged and then Catherine rubbed Lizzie's belly and said, "Take good care of that little surprise! Oh and don't forget to tell William to send me a download for the app he's working on… the Domino one. I'll give it a try."

"Of course."

"And again, Liz, I can't apologize enough. You really are a wonderful young lady. I can see why my nephew fell for you.", Catherine said seriously. She really meant what she was saying.

"No need to apologize! All that is water under the bridge… And thank you for an amazing afternoon."

Catherine nodded and waved as the car drove away.

Gigi had filled Fitz and Darcy in on what transpired during lunch and had to show them proof of Lizzie and their aunt laughing when they didn't believe her; but they were all eagerly awaiting details for what went down after Gigi left.

When Lizzie showed up at Pemberley, she filled them in on everything. They congratulated her on securing a location to shoot her show and thanked her for making them aware of the unfortunate circumstances concerning their aunt's beloved dog.

That night, Darcy hugged Lizzie to his chest with a little extra effort.

"What was that for?", Lizzie asked, confused.

"I was worried you and my aunt would not get along today, but everything went fine. And it makes me glad to know that my family is united.", he said before planting an appreciative kiss on her lips.

While Darcy fell asleep not longer after kissing his girlfriend goodnight, Lizzie didn't find sleep so easily. All this talk of family made her miss her own. But her graduation drew nearer and nearer, so she knew that she would be back home in no time.

* * *

**Lizzie's graduation! Finally! Lol. And after that we find out the baby's gender! :O**


End file.
